๐ฑ๐ข: ๐๐๐๐๐๐ข ๐ฐ๐๐๐๐ฃ
In a storm of betrayal, fraud, and criminal conspiracy, Barr. Okoi Obeten Okoi a former legal counsel to Afriq Group of Companies, finds himself at the center of a land scandal worth tens of millions of naira. Once a trusted companyโs legal representative, Okoi has now earned the label of fugitive from the law after repeatedly refusing to honour police invitations and allegedly masterminding a shocking impersonation of a senior police officer.
Afriq Group of Companies entrusted Barr. Okoi with millions of naira to purchase 115 plots of land for its global farm project. He was not just the company lawyer but also the contractor, handling everything, negotiations with communities, chiefs, and families; verifying land ownership; approving payments; and supplying bank accounts for transactions.
When the companyโs CEO, Mr. Jesam Michael, returned from Canada to inspect the sites, the lands presented by Barr. Okoi looked far smaller than expected. Suspicious, the CEO demanded a proper survey.
The result was shocking. An independent surveyor, Mr. Felix Eze, confirmed that the 105 plots Okoi claimed were actually only 72 plots, while the 10 plots he claimed elsewhere were just 8 plots. In total, 35 plots worth millions of naira were missing.
Okoi swore he had secured all 115 plots. But when confronted with the truth, he promised to replace the shortfall. Months later, he claimed to have bought 15 plots, leaving 20 still missing. He begged for one week to complete the replacement. That week has stretched into months, and he never fulfilled the promise. Instead, he fled.
This was no mistake. For years, Barr. Okoi was on the companyโs payroll, earning salary and allowances for every trip he made on behalf of Afriq Group. He prepared deeds of assignment, approved every payment, and presented himself as the eye of the company.
How can the same man now deny involvement in the missing plots? He was the one who verified ownership, negotiated prices, and supplied account numbers. The betrayal runs deep.
When Afriq Group filed a petition, police at the Ugep Division invited Okoi four times. He refused to honor the invitations. Instead, he sent a man pretending to come from ๐ฆ๐๐ก ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐๐ด๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ถโ๐ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ in ๐๐ฎ๐น๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฟ, a lie, since the Senior Advocate has no such office there.
Okoi was later arrested at Yakurr Guest House, Ugep. But in an unbelievable twist, he allegedly staged a phone call impersonating the Commissioner of Police (๐๐ฃ) of Cross River State, claiming the Inspector General had ordered his release. Shockingly, he was freed without proper documentation.
When the real ๐๐ฃ was contacted, he denied ever hearing of the case or ordering such a release. Investigations later revealed that some officers in Calabar, including ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฟ. ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ถ๐ฒ๐น ๐๐ฑ๐ฒ๐, allegedly colluded with Okoi to impersonate the CP and obstruct justice.
Instead of clearing his name, ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฟ. ๐ข๐ธ๐ผ๐ถ has resorted to running, hiding, and blackmailing. He has made false publications, called the ๐๐๐ข names, and tried to paint himself as a victim. But his actions speak louder:
โข He received millions to buy land but delivered far less.
โข He swore falsely about plots that never existed.
โข He ran when the truth came out.
โข He impersonated police authorities to escape lawful custody.
Afriq Group has declared that the matter is beyond one man. It is about the survival and integrity of the company. Whether or not the CEO is around, the management, legal team, compliance officers, and staff are determined to recover the companyโs properties and expose the fraud.
โ๐ถ๐ณ ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฟ. ๐ข๐ธ๐ผ๐ถ ๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐ป๐ป๐ผ๐ฐ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฎ๐ ๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐น๐ฎ๐ถ๐บ๐, ๐๐ต๐ ๐ถ๐ ๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฟ๐๐ป๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐ฝ๐ผ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐? ๐ช๐ต๐ ๐ถ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ผ๐ป๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ถ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฃ๐ผ๐น๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ถ๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐?โ the company asked in a statement.
Security agencies, including the ๐๐ฆ๐ฆ, ๐ก๐ฆ๐, and ๐๐๐๐, have now received petitions and are investigating the case.
From trusted lawyer to fugitive, the story of ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฟ. ๐ข๐ธ๐ผ๐ถ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ป ๐ข๐ธ๐ผ๐ถ is a chilling reminder of how greed and betrayal can destroy trust. He was paid, trusted, and empowered, but instead of serving the company faithfully, he allegedly stole from it and now hides behind lies and impersonation.
Afriq Groupโs message is clear:
โ๐ช๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐น๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ธ. ๐ช๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ท๐๐๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ. ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฟ. ๐ข๐ธ๐ผ๐ถ has betrayed trust, broken the law, and must face the consequences.โ
