By Terna Chikpa, Jalingo
The Tiv Traditional Council—represented by traditional rulers from the Sankera axis and Kwande areas of Benue State—alongside Mr. Peter Orngu and 13 others, have petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged N8 billion fraud involving Hon. Eze Nwa of Rhemalaw Chambers.
The petitioners allege that Hon. Nwa, in connivance with officials of the Debt Management Office (DMO), fraudulently obtained N8 billion from the N41 billion compensation awarded by the Federal High Court against the Federal Government for the unlawful invasion of Zaki Biam and Kwande communities by the Nigerian Army on October 20 and 24, 2001. The suit was originally instituted by the late Dr. Alexander Nyagbaadi.
They further allege that Hon. Nwa forged their signatures and, working with unidentified DMO officials, collected the N8 billion promissory note out of the total judgment sum of N41,898,983,600.00, but failed to remit the funds into the court’s litigation account as required for the benefit of the judgment creditors.
Counsel to the petitioners, Barr. Benjamin Adanyi, in a petition made available to Nigerian Tribune, stated that his clients never at any time authorised Hon. Nwa or Rhemalaw Chambers to act on their behalf.
“On August 19, 2019, the judgment creditors applied for a Garnishee Order Absolute, which was granted by His Lordship, Hon. Justice I.E. Ekwo. The application was for the sum of N8 billion, being part payment of the judgment debt of N41,898,983,600.00,” he explained.
“In a fraudulent act, Hon. Eze Nwa of Rhemalaw Chambers forged the signatures of the judgment creditors, presented them to the Debt Management Office, and collected the money meant to resettle the people who suffered from the unlawful military invasion,” the petition stated.
The petitioners also claim that the 14th judgment creditor, Mr. Andrew Juntu, played a role in the alleged forgery.
They allege that Hon. Nwa and his “co-conspirators” intend to obtain value for the promissory note and abscond to a neighbouring African country to evade accountability.
“This underscores the need for an immediate lien to be placed on the promissory notes so that no bank in Nigeria can give effect to it until these issues are resolved,” the petitioners appealed.
Through their counsel, Barr. Adanyi, the petitioners urged the EFCC to urgently place a lien on the promissory notes and compel Hon. Nwa to produce the individuals whose forged signatures were used to access the N8 billion meant for the invaded Tiv communities of Sankera and Kwande.
