The Kogi State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Everestus Obiyo, has allegedly sold a 2015 Toyota Camry car with forged documents.
He was said to have claimed that the car was given to him by the state government without the necessary papers.
But following a disagreement with a car dealer, Chigozie Osakwe, who assisted him in selling the vehicle, Obiyo allegedly arrested and detained him in his house for three days.
Osakwe was subsequently detained by the Federal Capital Territory Command of the NSCDC for collecting N1.1m as commission from the N6.5m the vehicle was sold for.
The auto dealer revealed that he handed over the car to a Lebanese, Ilyasu Buodid, who thereafter procured the forged papers with which it was sold in Abuja.
Osakwe, who was released on bail, narrated how many people, who indicated interest in the car, declined to buy it on hearing that it had no documents.
He stated that the car was with him between April and May 12, 2017, when the Lebanese informed him that he could procure the necessary documents to sell it.
He said, “The NSCDC Commandant handed over the car to Vivian Ezeani who handed it over to me for sale but she subsequently linked me to him. Obiyo told me the car was donated to him by the Kogi State governor and that it had no papers.
“He said I should sell it and that he is willing to swear to an affidavit to assure whoever buys the car. I have text messages from him to prove what I’m saying.” He further explained that trouble started when the Lebanese, who sold the car deposited just N600, 000 on May 26 with a promise to pay the balance later.
He said that Buodid paid N1.350m on June 2 but by then Obiyo and Ezeani had started pestering him for the balance.
He said, “The commandant, his personal assistant, and Ezeani arrested me in Abuja and detained me in his (Obiyo’s) house in Kogi for three days but I told him that keeping me would not solve the issue, so he released me.”
He added that Buodid gave him a GTBank cheque of N4.550m dated June 14 but it turned out to be a dud cheque, adding that he subsequently paid in N1.2m into his account on June 20. The car dealer said he wanted to report the Lebanese to the police but Obiyo said he did not want the law enforcement agency to be involved in the case, saying he would go after Buodid himself.
He explained that Obiyo then asked him to remit all the monies paid by Buodid to Ezeani’s account which he did after deducting N1.1m as commission. He was immediately re-arrested and detained by personnel of the NSCDC on the orders of Obiyo.
Osakwe said, “They (NSCDC) were insisting that I return the commission, but I said I had spent it.”
The Lebanese, who was arrested but later released after pledging to pay N3.350m to Obiyo by October 15, refused to comment when approached by our correspondent at the NSCDC office in Abuja.
When contacted for comment on Friday, Obiyo also declined. However, Spokesperson for the NSCDC, FCT Command, David Akinbinu, revealed that investigation into the matter was ongoing.
Credit: Punch
