The erstwhile director and head, Business
Development Committee at the Board of Directors of Afromedia Plc,
Nigeria's foremost outdoor advertising company, Alhaji Mohammed Gobir
has decried his recent arrest by the operatives of the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Ikoyi, Lagos and denied all allegations of
corporate fraud against him by leadership of Afromedia, insisting he made over
N2bn for the company, reports ITRealms.
Recall that on Satuday, September 12
2015, Alhaji Gobir had unwanted visit in the name of EFCC operatives assaulted
his person with arrest.
In a chat with the media, Gobie is
also demanding justice, while maintaining his position that he deserves
commendation rather than condemnation and linkage to 419, lamenting he was not
given responder opportunity before the public court, especially the print media
took delight in the story.
A press statement made available to
ITRealms by his media aides, Gobir denied any linkage with 419, saying he was
still at lost over the issue at the time of going to the press. Wondering how
he would place estimated 30 years of doing business in Nigeria on the altar of
419.
Stressing that he has never been
indicted, “has never been arraigned for any criminal offense, he has never been
involved in fraud. Why would he now, at the height of his professional and
business life be involved in '419' or what they called 'corporate fraud?”
Gobir insisted that he has been a
credible businessman and contractor to Federal Ministries, Parastatals, Military
and state Governments over the years.
Part of the statement read: “It is
this background in business with extensive contacts that earned him the
recommendation to join the board of Afromedia in 2009 at the time the
company was raising funds to enhance its operations.
“He was specifically invited because
of his network and goodwill which Afromediaidentified and needed at the
time to obtain big accounts.
“And Gobir did not
disappoint. He says from the period he joined the board of Afromediain
2009 till the time of his resignation in 2013, he brought in business worth at
least N2 billion for the company.
“He also got Afromedia to
set up a regulatory framework for outdoor advertising in FCT, Abuja,
similar to the Lagos State Signage and Advertising Agency (LASAA).
“It is in this context that one can
understand the current travail of Alhaji Gobir. The EFCC, acting on
the instruction of Mr. Akin Olopade, Group Managing Director
of Afromedia, accused Gobir of illegally collecting
$3,500,000, N514,457,151.87, $2,102,740 and 51,000 Pounds Sterling at various
times through a phony investment deal.
“The answer to this is
simple, Gobir said. As somebody in charge of business development,
his main duty was to secure high level business opportunities for
the company. It was on this basis that in one of the several private
meetings he held with Olopade, both men agreed on the possibility of the
company exploring and receiving capital investments following the melt down in
the Nigerian stock market.
"In accessing the capital investment, money was
required to process and access the fund of which part of the sum was expended
by Mr. Olopade who later turned around and requested for refunds of
which several payments were made in repayment to him (Mr Olopade.)” Gobir
said.
In addition, Gobir said both him and
Olopade disagreed on the arrears to be paid as the figures were
incorrect, and Olopade did not want to deduct earlier repayments
from the total sum, therefore, reaching a deadlock.
“That was the main issue in
contention,” Gobir sources said, pointing out that Olopade even got mutual
friends involved in the matter.
“While that was ongoing, EFCC
operatives arrived that Saturday, September 12 and whisked Gobir away
for interrogation, accusing him of "corporate fraud" and
"419".
Gobir insisted, he was not in a
transaction with Afromedia, who wrote the petition and took him to EFCC.
Whereas, he did not obtain any loan whatsoever from Afromedia, nor was he
in a transaction with the company.”
His dealings, Gobir contended were
personal with Olopade, “the Group Managing Director
of Afromedia, with whom he wrote the agreement and whom had received
repayments of over 120m via bank transfers and foreign exchange cash form
lodgments into his personal accounts.
“How could this have been 'corporate
fraud' when I was dealing with, and making repayments to an individual who
changed his mind to carry through a business and wanted his money back. “Would
any fraudulent person, make repayments when you want to end a transaction;
The next day I was in the media, condemned, and judged without any
hearing" Gobir laments.
Further, Gobir said he never
met Olopade before then but that once they met in the company, a deep
friendship developed between them.
“That friendship has been seriously
injured if not destroyed. Gobir is hurt, aggrieved, bitter,
and feels betrayed. I need
justice", he demanded.
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