NPC Boss, CEO In Fraud Drama

A row, which has already attracted the attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), is presently brewing between Otunba Akibu Okanlawon Sabiu, a Federal Commissioner at the National Population Commission (NPC) and the managing director of Nnestor Tel Nigeria Limited, Mr. Sanusi Abdul Rasak.

Sabiu, an Isolo, Lagos, Nigeria prince and chairman of the company, is accusing AbdulRasak of fraud “in excess of N100 million belonging to the company” and has consequently instructed his lawyers from Olumide Sofowora Chambers, to forward a formal complaint to the EFCC.

Abdul Rasak, on his part, is accusing Sabiu of “excessive greed” and an attempt to forcibly take over a company he had no penny invested in it at inception.

The matter had taken the warring factions before Oba Kabiru Agbabiaka, the Osolo of Isolo, various police formations and the EFCC.

Said Abdul Rasak: “He has taken me round and written various spurious petitions against me to different security agencies, but I have been cleared by all and it remains for him to write to Almighty God.”

In one of such petitions written on the instruction of Sakiru by the law firm of Adeyinka Israel and Company, Abdul Rasaq was accused of forging “documents to open accounts purportedly on behalf of the company, where he lodged cheques/drafts, the act believed to have been perpetrated in connivance with bank officials.”

Abdul Rasak denied all the allegations as a figment of Sabiu’s own imagination.

According to him, “this is a man who had no interest in the company. I invited him to come and eat. I made him the chairman of the company, but all of a sudden, when money started coming in, greed took over.”

Sabiu has also gone before a Lagos High Court to swear to an affidavit, declaring the company’s Certificate of Incorporation missing.

He has also written to some major clients of the company, including Ogun State Water Corporation and banks, including GT Bank to stop dealing with Abdul Rasaq, while he had also put some advertisements in the newspapers indicating that by a recent increase in the share capital of the company dated 12 February, 2010 by the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, he remained the largest shareholder and now the chairman/chief executive officer of the company.

“Otunba should be very careful. He can’t afford to go too far in this matter. He is a serving senior civil servant and it is an offence to operate a company outside his schedule of office. Hope he gets the message,” Abdul Rasak said.

—Akin Kuponiyi