…EFCC Witness Says Foreign Affairs Ministry, NPA Exposed Alleged Export Deal as a Hoax
The trial of the Chief Executive Officer of Onome Global Market Resources Limited and Lexicon Multi-concept Media Limited, Osabohein Alex Ologbose, his wife, Hope Onome Oghelemu, and their companies took a dramatic turn on Wednesday as an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) witness narrated how he was allegedly tricked into parting with more than N28 million in a purported bitter kola export investment that investigators say never existed.
The defendants are standing trial before Justice Ekerete Akpan of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on a seven-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence, conversion of funds and money laundering involving an alleged N740 million investment scam.
Testifying as the second prosecution witness (PW2), Modestus Uchenna Okafor, an officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), told the court that he was introduced to the investment by one Alice Ayeni, whom he met at the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM Bank) while seeking information on agricultural exports and export financing.
Led in evidence by EFCC counsel, O.S. Ujam, Okafor said Ayeni presented herself as a manager at NEXIM Bank and claimed to be a director and partner in Onome Global Market Resources Limited.
According to him, she convinced him that the company was duly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), possessed a NEXIM certification and an EFCC Special Control Unit against Money Laundering (SCUML) certificate, thereby giving the venture an appearance of legitimacy.
The witness said Ayeni informed him that the company had secured a contract to export 30 bags of bitter kola to Hong Kong and offered him the opportunity to invest in two bags at N310,000 each.
Believing the representation, he paid an initial N620,000 into an account provided by Ayeni before making additional investments.
He told the court that he subsequently transferred a total of N28,080,000 into Ayeni’s account for the purported export of bitter kola and kola nuts to Hong Kong, China, and Indonesia.
“I made payment for the Hong Kong, China, and Indonesia export of bitter kola and red kola nuts, totalling N28,080,000, into the bank account of Alice Ayeni. She acknowledged receiving the money, and I also preserved our chats and payment confirmations,” he testified.
Okafor said that after weeks and later months of unfulfilled promises, he and another investor confronted Ayeni, who took them to the residence of Hope Onome Oghelemu, one of the defendants.
According to him, Oghelemu assured them that payment and returns on investment would soon be made, prompting them to wait longer.
He further testified that when the delays persisted, all investors were invited to a meeting at Living Faith Church, where Ologbose, Oghelemu and Ayeni apologised, blaming the delay on foreign companies expected to receive the exports.
Suspicious of the explanations, Okafor said the investors independently verified the claims with the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
He told the court that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed them there was no receiving company in Hong Kong or the other countries mentioned, while the NPA confirmed that no shipment matching the defendants’ claims had ever left Nigeria.
“We wrote to the Nigerian Ports Authority and they replied that no such shipment by the defendants took place. That was when I concluded that I had been defrauded. I and six other investors contacted our lawyer, who petitioned the EFCC. Till today, I have not recovered my investment or received any return,” he said.
During cross-examination by defence counsel, Femi Peter Joseph, the witness maintained that documentary evidence before the court showed Ayeni acknowledged receiving several payments from him and other investors, including N7 million, N4.6 million and N2.38 million paid into accounts linked to Ayobola Anike Ventures Limited.
Justice Ekerete Akpan adjourned the matter until September 24, 2026, for continuation of trial.