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Ezekwesili petitions IGP to arrest, prosecute blogger, Omojuwa

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Former Education Minister, Oby Ezekwesili, has submitted a petition to the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, demanding the prosecution of social media influencer, Japhet Omojuwa, for allegedly using her name to perpetrate fraud.

The petition which she submitted on Friday titled, ‘Petition Against Mr Japheth Omojuwa for Forgery, Fraudulent Misrepresentation and Fraudulent Use of the Name, Identity and Particulars of Mrs. Obiageli Ezekwesili as a Director of Alpha Reach Limited RC No: 1066507’ and dated April 14, 2021, was acknowledged received at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

The petition signed on her behalf by her lawyer, Marshal Abubakar of Falana and Falana chambers, stated that Omojuwa fraudulently listed Ezekwesili’s name as a director in his firm, Alpha Reach Company Limited, without her permission.

Ezekwesili noted that she only got to know that she was a director in Omojuwa’s company when an international media platform, Buzzfeed, contacted her over an allegation that Omojuwa and some Nigerian social media influencers had been paid to campaign for the release of alleged fraudster, Alex Saab, who is wanted in the United States.

She said Buzzfeed told her she was listed as a director in the company’s documents filed at the Corporate Affairs Commission.

Ezekwesili, a co-founder of Transparency International, said when she was informed of the development, she quickly called Omojuwa to confirm if she was ever listed as a director at Alpha Reach but he told her she was not.

READ ALSO: Ezekwesili’s son dares Omojuwa in war of word with mother

The former minister told the IG that throughout the time she was fraudulently made a director in the company, no notice of meetings, annual returns, accounts or board resolutions were issued to her.

Part of the petition reads:

“It is our brief that our client promptly contacted Japhet Omojuwa to confirm whether he forged her signature and other incorporation documents and processes but he informed her that the Alpha Reach Company Limited is his company and that she is not involved in it at all.

“Japhet Omojuwa never sought for her consent and/or participation in incorporating any company whatsoever and for any purpose whatsoever.

“The said Japhet Omojuwa neither sought for nor obtained requisite incorporation documents and information the CAC would require in processing the registration i.e the particulars of directors, share numbers, signature of directors, means of identification of directors and address etc.

“Our client reiterates for emphasis that she never filled or signed the statutory consent of first directors of Alpha Reach Company Limited in 2012 and or at anytime whatsoever.

“Please find attached the referenced communication between our client and Mr. Japheth Omojuwa.”

The lingering face-off between the two took a different dimension when Omojuwa, on Wednesday, through his lawyers, insisted that he had duly obtained Ezekwesili’s permission before listing her as a director in his company.

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