A financial institution, Mega Microfinance Bank Limited, has been dragged before an Abuja High Court for N500 million in damages over alleged fraudulent misrepresentation.

The bank was alleged to have made false claims against a firm, Wetech Industry Limited, in its bid to obtain a credit report on the firm from First Central Credit Bureau (FCCB).

Wetech, in the suit filed by its lawyer, Eloka Okoye of the law firm of Kehinde and Partners LP, accused the bank of engaging in false misrepresentation when it claimed that the company applied for a credit facility with it.

The suit, marked CV/4867/2024, was filed before Justice B. Abubakar sitting in Apo.

Wetech had accused Mega Microfinance Bank, an Abuja-based financial institution, of telling FCCB that it (Wetech) applied for credit when it knew that the claimant was neither its customer nor an applicant for credit from it.

Wetech’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Liu Yangxi, stated, in his witness statement, that the bank, without the knowledge and consent of his company, obtained a credit report from the FCCB on Dec. 28, 2023.

“The credit report was obtained under the guise that the claimant (Wetech) applied for a credit facility from the defendant (the bank).

“The claimant has never, through myself or any other director or agents applied for a credit facility from the defendant.

“The claimant does not have any form of relationship with the defendant.

“Upon realising that the defendant unlawfully obtained a credit report against the claimant, the claimant, through its counsel wrote to the defendant, requesting the alleged application that necessitated its obtaining the credit report from the FCCB.

“To date, the defendant has neither responded to the claimant’s letter nor reached out to the claimant through any other means.

“The claimant avers that the credit report was obtained under false pretence because the claimant has never applied for a credit facility from the defendant.

“The claimant has suffered great loss due to the actions of the defendant against it,” Yangxi said.

Wetech is therefore praying the court to among others, declare that Mega Microfinance’s request to FCCB for a credit report on it (the claimant) under the guise that it applied for credit from it (the bank) when in fact, there was no such application for credit amounts to fraudulent misrepresentation.

It wants the court to declare the credit report obtained by the bank on the claimant, through fraudulent misrepresentation, as illegally obtained and therefore unlawful.

The claimant also wants the court to declare the bank’s possession of the credit report without its consent, as unlawful, adding that the bank should be ordered to disclose the person who instructed it to obtain the credit report on the claimant.

It further seeks an order awarding the sum of N500 million against the defendant as general damages for unlawfully obtaining and possessing the credit report against the claimant through fraudulent misrepresentation.

Justice Abubakar fixed Feb. 13, 2025, for hearing.

…Commission submits that defendant falsely represents himself as a female.

 The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday arraigned a man, Abdullahi Mukit, for defrauding unsuspecting online users of $3,500.

Mukit, is standing trial before an Ikeja Special Offences Court, on a two-count charge of possession of fraudulent document and obtaining under false pretences.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge after it was read to him.

EFCC Counsel, Mr Ahmed Yerima, prayed the court for a trial date and for the defendant to be remanded at the correctional centre pending the commencement of trial.

Defence Counsel, Mr Idowu Alaba, however, informed the court that his client had applied for a plea bargain agreement.

Alaba asked for a short date to finalise the agreement.

He also prayed that the defendant be remained at the custody of the EFCC.

Justice Mojisola Dada, thereafter, remanded the defendant at EFCC’s custody and adjourned the case until Dec.9 for hearing of the plea bargain agreement.

Earlier, the EFCC alleged that the defendant committed the offences on April 18 in Lagos.

The anti-graft agency said that the defendant, with intent to defraud, had in his possession a document printed from his text-plus account, linked to his mobile number to defraud unsuspecting members of the public.

The commission also submitted that the defendant fraudulently obtained an aggregate sum of $3,500 from unsuspecting members of the public, by falsely representing himself as a female.

According to EFCC the alleged offences violate Sections 1(1)(2) and 6, (8)(b) and 1 (3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, No. 14, 2006. 

The Police Command in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is set to prosecute one Ismail Usman, a herbalist, who shot himself while testing his self-made bulletproof charm.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the FCT,  SP Josephine Adeh, said this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja.

She said the herbalist shot himself in the stomach in an attempt to test the efficacy of his self-made ‘bulletproof’ charm.

Adeh said that one Shandam Michael reported the incident to the police, adding that it occurred on Nov. 23 at Kuchibuyi Village in Kubwa area of Abuja.

According to her, operatives from Byazhin division responded swiftly on receipt of the report and on reaching the scene found the herbalist in critical condition.

Adeh said the herbalist was quickly rushed to Kubwa General Hospital for emergency treatment but was later referred to the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital.

“In the aftermath, police conducted a thorough search of the herbalist’s home and recovered a homemade gun and an array of charms used in his reckless experiment.

“Investigations are ongoing. Usman is expected to face charges for unlawful possession of firearms and attempted suicide,” she said.

The PPRO said the FCT Commissioner of Police, Mr Olatunji Disu, had condemned the incident and highlighted the dangers associated with illegal firearms.

“This situation illustrates the serious risks of engaging in reckless behaviour.

“We strongly advise the community to avoid such dangerous practices,” Adeh quoted Disu as saying