The former Chairman of New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), in Ogun state, Olaposi Sunday Oginni has been arrested by men of the Nigeria Police Force over several allegations bothering on financial misappropriation, fraud, money laundering and financing terrorism in some parts of the country
It was gathered that Oginni, who was recently expelled by the national leadership of the party over alleged anti-party activities, fraud and money laundering was arrested in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital by team of crack detectives from Force Headquarters Abuja on Tuesday, detained him first at Lafenwa Police station before whisked him away to Police Headquarters, Abuja on Wednesday.
His arrest was said to have followed a petition sent to the Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Baba by E.A Igwe & Co, Barristers and Solicitors of the Supreme Court of Nigeria on behalf of the Board of Trustees and active members of New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP).
According to the petition with Ref EAV/MISC/05/1992/2023, dated 20th May, 2023, with the heading: ‘Call For The Arrest Of The Culprits And To Subject Them To The Full Wrath Of The Law’ states that, “We have been consulted and our legal services retained by the Trustees and active members of New Nigeria People Party NNPP (Hereinafter called our clients) and on whose definite and clear instruction we write you with respect to the above subject matter.
“We are informed by our Clients and we verily believe same that the relevant facts-in-issue are as stated hereunder for your perusal.
“It is our instruction that these culprits are hell-bent and had conspired amongst themselves to deliberately destabilize and frustrate the activities of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) at the party secretariat situate and lying at No. 11 Mahatma Gandhi Street, Area 11, Garki Abuja for no justifiable reason save to project their evil plot by attacking the party secretariat.
“And maliciously damaged the glasses with persistent threat of dealing with the members of the party and subjecting their lives to imminent danger occasioned by the mischief of the culprits hence this petition.
“We are also told that the first culprit being Oginni Sunday Olaposi had in his possession N7.5 Million Cash which he boldly claimed was in his custody an act against the law of the land hence this petition.
“Our clients told us the principal culprit and others did divert several millions of naira belonging to the NNPP by the use of the secret account which are manipulation and indexes of fraud and opened for that purpose. The culprits by that conduct are running down the party formation and will not stop unless arrested and subjected to the full wrath of the law.
“The main culprit is guilty of money laundering charges and will not stop in such boasted act unless arrested and subjected to the full wrath of the law.
“It is our further information that the culprits are also guilty of gun running which most of them used during the just concluded election in some states including Ogun state.
“The culprits are also fingered to be financing terrorism contrary to section 25 of the money laundering Act.
“It is our further information that the principal suspect (Mr. Oginni) is guilty of obtaining money from several gubernatorial candidates in the just concluded 2023 election under the platform of NNPP and many victims are available to testify at the point of hearing. We are told that the ill activities of these culprits had drastically affected the activities of the NNPP party new caretaker chairman for Ogun state in the person of Prince Ibrahim Adekunle and if the culprits are not arrested many things will go wrong in the party hence this petition.
“The principal suspect (Mr. Oginni) is said to have fraudulently removed party files, computers and printer from the party office supply because he was expelled from the party. The same culprit is said to have fraudulently opened suspicious account in the name of NNPP without consent of Board of Trustees, made himself and the former treasurer signatories to the account where many unsuspected victims paid millions of naira which a clear case of criminal deceit and criminal conversion of party fund.
“Our attention has also been drawn to the fact that because of the ill-gotten money in custody of the culprit to the detriment of the party that they diverted the said sum to the financing of terrorist in some parts of the country and may not stop unless arrested and interrogated properly. The culprits with their mischief are causing fear in the mind of our numerous clients hence this petition.
“Our clients make haste to raise this petition for your intervention because the culprits are said to be boasting to the hearing of many people that they have the money and contact to sweep under the carpet any complaint against them no matter the nature even if it is heinous crime.
“We write on behalf of our client and to request that the culprits be arrested and subjected to the full wrath of the law. We count on you”.
Consequently, against this backdrop, the men of crack detectives arrived in Abeokuta and arrested the alleged principal suspect, Olaposi Sunday Oginni on Tuesday, detained him at Lafenwa Police station before he was whisked away to Abuja on Wednesday.
Contacting the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ogun State Command, Omolola Odutola on the arrest, she said she could not comment on that because Oginni was not arrested by men of Nigeria Police from Abeokuta but from Abuja, noting that only Police spokesman in Abuja can talk on the arrest.
