Loading ...By, Uchechukwu Ugboaja
The recent corruption survey released by the National Bureau of Statistics has vindicated claims by Nigerians and international observers that most corrupt incidences occur between the Nigeria Police and bank officials in Nigeria.
National Burueu of Statistics had earlier on Tuesday named Police officers, Judges and prosecutors as most corrupt public officials in Nigeria. However the same report has also confirmed that private sector corruption in Nigeria is led by bank officials and this can be confirmed in this particular instance of how ASO Savings & Loans was bankrupted by certain individuals with the aid of a top ranking police officer who was assigned to investigate cases of fraud involving some of its officials in 2015.
Our investigative reporter is in possession of an earnest appeal by a concerned citizen, Hajia Maimuna Sanda Aliyu, who was a former senior staff in ASO Savings & Loans [ASL] Plc., for the police to investigate SP Taiwo Oyewale for misleading the Federal Government of Nigeria.
With reference to a previous report by Elombah.com which documented how several individuals, in connivance with top employees, perpetrated and organised massive corruption that has bankrupted ASO Savings & Loans Bank. Some individuals mentioned in the act include former chairman of Skye Bank, Mr Tunde Ayeni, CEO of Capital Oil and Gas, Mr Ifeanyi Ubah, former MD of Aso Savings & Loans Plc., Mr Hassan Usman, son of former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory [FCT], Bala Mohammed, Shamsuddeen, and a host of others.
The report further showed how some of the above-mentioned bigwigs masterminded an attack against the person of Hajia Maimuna Sanda Aliyu, when she blew the lid open on the said perpetrators.
However, instead of seeking redress in the law courts in the event of perceived malpractice, they took to cheap blackmail, intimidation and name-calling. Consequently, Hajia Maimuna Aliyu’s residence and the residence of her son both located in Abuja were picketed simultaneously in the morning of Saturday, June 17, 2017, by ASL staff allegedly at the instigation of Tunde Ayeni and Hassan Usman. The marauders, nevertheless, are far from done with their blackmailing and intimidation antics.
Evidence available also shows that SP Taiwo Oyewale the police officer that had investigated and exonerated Hajia Maimuna Aliyu in 2015 in a farcical show of shame reversed back in 2017 to indict her.
Recall that in the police report written by SP Oyewale, confirmed receipts for the Jahi land in question but now claimed that it is now missing. One then wonders how a financial institution, entrusted with the life savings of hardworking Nigerians will claim ignorance of a sold property after confirming receipts for the said land if not crass incompetence or deliberate diversion.
Worst case scenario was the approach by the investigating police officer, SP Taiwo.
It beats the imagination how an officer will, after completing an investigation assigned by a superior, instead reverting back to the superior with the result of the said investigation, reported same to the bank officials who are already suspects in the same transaction.
In the words of Hajia Aliyu, ‘who has the prosecuting powers to charge her to court, is it the Police or the Managing Director of ASO Savings Plc?’
Moreover, the report has no file nor volume number as is normal with such reports.
Worse yet, how could the report of a matter purportedly investigated in 2015 now be dated May 2017 by Superintendent Oyewale?
It is in view of the above inconsistencies that Hajia Aliyu took out time from her busy schedule to write the following appeal asking the police hierarchy to investigate SP Taiwo Oyewale Firstly for misleading her superiors in particular, secondly, for smearing the image of the Nigeria Police Force, and lastly, for jeopardizing the integrity of the Federal Government of Nigeria, which the police is an agency thereof.
Here appeal reads in full:
APPEAL FOR THE POLICE TO INVESTIGATE SP TAIWO OYEWALE FOR MISLEADING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA.
Further to my earlier reaction to the allegation levelled against me and which was given as the reason for standing down my nomination into the ICPC, I have taken time to dig further into the issues and find it necessary to update the public on some salient but germane points that will expose the truth of the matter.
It is true that Aso Savings & Loans put up for sale some plots of land in Jahi, Abuja to close the gap in her liquidity owing to huge sums of money she donated to fund a Presidential Candidate in 2011 Presidential election.
It is also true that as at the time when these assets (3 plots of land) were put up for sale by Aso Savings and Loans, I was the Executive Director in charge of marketing in the bank and so was involved in marketing of the sales which was effectively consummated through some middle men.
It is worthy to note that by 2013 when I voluntarily resigned from the Board of the bank, the transaction involving the said three plots of land in Jahi had been concluded, my resignation accepted and no allegation was levelled against me.
The Bank continued sales of other plots which had nothing to do with me thereafter.
It took ASO Savings & Loans two years to Petition the Nigeria Police in November 2015.
This matter was thoroughly investigated and I was not found culpable by the Police Investigating Team (IG Monitoring Unit) was led by SP Taiwo Oyewale.
All parties were advised to go and settle the matter in the underlying civil case, that the matter is civil in nature. If it will take two years for a Bank to know there is something wrong in its system it clearly shows a lapse in the system which invariably means depositors funds are not safe with the Bank. Dissatisfied with the recommendations of the Police Investigation led by SP Taiwo Oyewale the bank in July 2016 took yet another petition to the same IG monitoring Team which was submitted in July 2016 and another petition sent to ICPC on the same facts on the 15th of December 2016.
Again, the Police and ICPC asked all parties to settle the matter through the underlying civil case pending before Justice Venda.
Thereafter, upon hearing of my nomination to the ICPC Board, my enemies at ASO misrepresented the facts in disseminating that I am being investigated by the ICPC whereas the ICPC had asked all parties to settle via the pending civil case because the matter is civil in nature.
Disseminating wrong information that am being investigated by the ICPC would negatively affect my appointment into same board for sake of conflict of interests.
Also, Kunle Adedigba rushed to SP Taiwo Oyewale of the IG Monitoring Unit to issue a fake report of investigations hence the report was addressed to him and not the IGP, Taiwo’s boss. There are issues that raise curiosity on the said report namely:-
The report has no file nor volume number as is normal with such reports. This is a report of a matter purportedly investigated in 2015 but now dated May 2017 by SP Taiwo Oyewale.
The report was addressed to the MD of Aso Savings who is her pay master and not the appropriate supervisory officer and or the IGP.
The report recommended to the MD of ASO that I should be charged to court. The question is who has the prosecuting powers to charge me to court the POLICE or the MD of ASO savings PlC?
It is also worthy of note that the buyers of the said plots paid to Aso savings, and Kunle Adedigba is fully aware and is even processing the release of C of O on behalf of the customers. The ICPC is fully in the picture and this can be verified independently.
I am appealing to the IGP to investigate SP Taiwo Oyewale and reprimand her thereafter for embarrassing the Police Force.
SP Taiwo Oyewale acted in an unprofessional manner which has brought shame to the Nigeria Police at the time when the Present IGP is making all efforts to sanitise the system.
Bad eggs like SP should be flushed out before she infests others. Report like this can only be written if there is preconceived goal.
Her conduct is very disgraceful, improper and unbecoming of a police officer and clearly shows unfitness to be an officer in Nigeria Police.
It is also a breach of trust placed in an officer by virtue of her position to be impartial.
Mr Kunle Adedigba should not be allowed to go free as he contributed in embarrassing the Police Force and Federal Government of Nigeria.
He acted in the most despicable manner and unbecoming of an MD of a Bank. No wonder the Bank is where it is today.
I want to appreciate all well-meaning Nigerians and anti-corruption crusaders who have shown great concern and understanding with me since this matter first came to the public domain.
Like I said in my earlier release, no matter how long it takes, the truth must be known at last.
It is not about the appointment but about the truth and to expose our economic saboteurs and people who just rush to social media to make wild allegations against innocent people.
Find attached a copy of SP Taiwo’s report to the MD/CEO of ASO savings and loans plc for your perusal and further necessary action.
