Mr. Dan Okoro, a Deputy Commissioner of Police
A
Nigerian police commissioner might have found himself in serious
trouble after he reportedly duped a Canada-based businessman N40
million.
Canada-based Nigerian businessman, Mr. Oludare Hodonu, has accused
Mr. Dan Okoro, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, and Mr. Uche Nwabude, a
clearing agent, of duping him of the sum of N40 million through a
transaction.
Mr. Hodonu's ordeal began in 2013 when his ex-mother-in-law visited
him Canada. Being infirm, said Mr. Hodonu, the woman died within 24
hours of her arrival. Her death happened at a time when the businessman
wanted to ship to Nigeria three containers holding four vehicles each.
Mr. Hodonu told Saharareporters that he always traveled with his
shipments, but could not do so because of the death of the mother of his
ex-wife.
His ex-wife, he said, needed to accompany her mother's corpse to
Nigeria, thereby also yoking him with the responsibility of looking
after their two daughters.
On account of Mr. Hodonu’s inability to leave Canada, a family
friend, who is a police officer, offered to help. The family friend
claimed that her boss was familiar with many reputable clearing agents
and could be of help.
Convinced that his friend's boss, being a police officer,
represented safety, Mr. Hodonu said he sent the documents of the
containers to Mr. Dan Okoro, who had been introduced as the man familiar
with the best agencies.
Mr. Okoro, said Mr. Hodonu, used to be the Area Commander of Festac
Police Area Command in Lagos. Mr. Okoro introduced Mr. Nwabude as an
agent, to whom Mr. Hodonu paid N3.9 million as clearing expenses.
From then on, explained Mr. Hodonu, it was one story after the
other, without a single one indicating that the containers holding his
vehicles had been cleared. Things remained that way until Mr. Hodonu
arrived in Nigeria in June 2013, when he routinely resumed every morning
at Tin Can Island and spent evenings at Festac Police Area Command,
where Mr. Okoro was the Area Commander.
The businessman said he kept asking questions about what might have
caused the long delay, but never got answers from either Mr. Okoro or
Mr. Nwabude.
Mr. Hodonu said the pressure on him was mounting, as he was just
getting back on his feet after a catastrophic investment decision.
This was made worse by the fact that some people who trusted him
with their money to help them get cars and other items from Canada had
become nervous.
“Some went on radio and television shows to brand me a fraud," said Mr. Hodonu.
He started complaining in bitter tones to Messrs. Okoro and Nwabude.
The businessman had planned to be in Nigeria for a month but was already into his ninth month with no solution in sight.
Out of desperation, Mr. Hodonu went on a dispute resolution
program, Mogbejomi De, on Lagos Television. The presenters, he said,
wrote to invite Messrs. Okoro and Nwabude, but they refused to come.
Mr. Hodonu said he slumped twice, having developed hypertension
because he was losing money, as he desperately tried to save his
reputation. Mr. Nwabude, said the businessman, demanded more money,
which he got before he could get one of the four containers cleared.
He pressured Mr. Okoro to arrest the agent. The police boss did,
but released him shortly thereafter, saying he had signed an
undertaking.
When Mr. Nwabude defaulted, the police boss said he did not know
his whereabouts any longer. The beleaguered businessman said he was told
by one Dr. Anebunam, founder of an association chaired by Mr. Nwabude,
that he and Mr. Okoro were long-standing partners in fraud.
Things got worse, Mr. Hodonu explained. While he was chasing his
containers, his former wife sold his house and moved to another Canadian
province.
Having no other option left, Mr. Hodonu got his lawyers to petition
the Inspector-General of Police and the Attorney-General of the
Federation.
Two of those petitions, dated 15 November 2016 and addressed
separately to the Inspector-General and Attorney-General of the
Federation, were obtained by SaharaReporters. The petitions, which
alleged criminal breach of trust by Messrs. Okoro and Nwabude, appealed
for urgent intervention.
"Our client informed us that ACP Okoro brought one Mr. Uche
Nwabude as the clearing agent. In the presence of ACP Okoro, the
discussion was done with the said Uche Nwabude and a fee of N3.9 million
only was agreed as the total expenses for clearing. Our client paid the
money to the said Nwabude. Upon receipt of the money, Mr. Uche Nwabude
failed and refused to clear the goods," said the petitions.
Prior to these petitions, Mr. Hodonu had written others to the
Police and Attorney-General. He disclosed that a former
Inspector-General had shown an interest in the matter and directed the
Police Commissioner in charge of the Ports, Mrs. Harrison, The
businessman said Mr. Okoro was always telling Mrs. Harrison to give him
more time.
The loss of over N40 million through the transaction, said Mr. Hodonu, has left him broke and broken.
"I can't do fraud or drugs. The only way I know how to earn
money is by working my butt off. I need to take care of my children. I
still manage hypertension up till today," he ruefully told SaharaReporters.
0 comments:
Post a Comment