Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
ABUJA, Nigeria — A Federal Road Safety Corps officer on Wednesday told a Federal High Court how he was drawn into a sophisticated investment web that cost him ₦28,080,000, after his testimony painted a picture of a fraud that preyed on trust, government credentials, and the allure of lucrative agricultural exports. Modestus Uchenna Okafor, appearing as the second prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of a couple and their accomplice, narrated how his quest for a legitimate export business turned into a financial nightmare.
The three defendants—Osabohein Alex Ologbose, his wife Hope Onome Oghelemu, and their businesses Onome Global Market Resources Limited and Lexicon Multi-concept Media Limited—are battling a seven-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. The charges revolve around obtaining by false pretence, diversion of funds, and money laundering involving approximately ₦740 million, contrary to the Money Laundering Prevention and Prohibition Act 2022.
Okafor told the court that his ordeal began when he visited the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM) in search of information on exporting agricultural produce. It was there that he met Alice Ayeni, a staff member who presented herself as a manager at NEXIM and a director in one of the defendant companies. She convinced him of a legitimate business partnership, presenting corporate documents, certificates from the Corporate Affairs Commission, and EFCC's SCUML certificate as proof of the company's credibility.
Ayeni disclosed that Onome Global had secured a contract to export 30 bags of bitter kola to Hong Kong and offered Okafor the chance to invest in two bags at ₦310,000 each. The initial ₦620,000 payment was promptly made and acknowledged, establishing a semblance of trust that would later prove devastating.
Over time, Okafor poured additional sums into the scheme for exports to Hong Kong, China, and Indonesia, eventually totalling ₦28,080,000. The funds were channelled into accounts provided by Ayeni, who consistently acknowledged receipt and assured him of returns. But when weeks stretched into months without any payout, Okafor and another investor, Ikechukwu Chikelum, confronted Ayeni, who led them to the couple's residence.
The couple assured the investors that payments were imminent, offering apologies and promises that bought them more time. A subsequent meeting at Living Faith Church, attended by a host of investors, saw the couple and Ayeni kneel before the congregation, begging for patience and blaming the delays on foreign receiving companies. The elaborate performance convinced the investors, but no payments ever materialised.
The victims turned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nigerian Ports Authority for verification. The Ministry confirmed that no receiving company existed in Hong Kong, while the Ports Authority disclosed that no shipment had ever been processed for the transactions described by the defendants. It was at that point that Okafor and six other investors concluded they had been defrauded and contacted their lawyer, who petitioned the EFCC.
Under cross-examination, Okafor confirmed that Ayeni had acknowledged receiving ₦7,000,000, ₦4,600,000, and ₦2,380,000 from him and a friend, all directed to various accounts she controlled. The prosecution presented these as evidence of a coordinated fraud.
Okafor's testimony follows that of the first prosecution witness, a civil servant, who testified on June 22, 2026, that she lost ₦58.1 million in the same scheme. Both witnesses described how Ayeni's NEXIM credentials, the couple's corporate documents, and a strategic meeting at a prominent church were used to build credibility. When investors became anxious, the defendants reportedly knelt in church, begging for more time and blaming floods, fires, and freight delays in Asia.
The trial has been adjourned until September 24, 2026, after the prosecution concluded the examination of Okafor. The EFCC has presented two witnesses so far, and the case continues to unfold, exposing the elaborate mechanisms behind a scheme that has left dozens of victims counting their losses.
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