Magu: FCMB’s trouble worsens as Pastor Omale sues bank, MD for N5bn

Prophet Emmanuel Omale, the general overseer of Divine Hand of God Prophetic Ministry, has sued embattled First City Monument Bank (FCMB) and its managing director, Adam Nuru for N5 billion, before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja.

In the suit marked FCT/HC/CV/2020 and seen by Daily Record, Omale, said FCMB falsely reported to the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit that N570 million was paid into his church account.

He said the allegations led to accusations that the money was used in purchasing a house in Dubai for Magu.

The statement of claim read in part, “Sometime on or about the 6th day of July 2020 the former acting Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, was arrested and summoned to the Presidential Villa, Abuja, to appear before the Presidential Investigation Committee on the Alleged Mismanagement of the EFCC, Federal Government Recovered Assets and Finances From May 2015 to May 2020.

“That one of the key allegations levelled at the Presidential Investigation Committee against Mr. Ibrahim Magu, was that the 2nd Claimant (Prophet Omale) fraudulently and corruptly purchased a real estate property for Mr. Ibrahim Magu in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates with the said sum of N573, 228, 04 allegedly credited as an inflow into the 1st Claimant’s (church’s) Corporate Current Account No: 1486743019 in the year 2016.”

The claimant stated that due to the investigation and negative media reports, his family was exposed to public ridicule and their spiritual calling was insulted.

The cleric noted that he and his wife Deborah Omale appeared before a Presidential Investigation Committee at the Presidential Villa, Abuja on August 10, 11, and 12, 2020.

He said they were grilled for hours on their alleged roles in respect of the sum of N573 million used in fraudulently and corruptly purchasing a real estate property for Magu in Dubai.

He said they all denied the allegations of fraud, adding that he never bought any property for Magu when grilled by the panel.

He added that they were accompanied by their lead Senior Counsel, Gordy Uche (SAN), and a team of four senior lawyers who were paid N15 million naira to appear and represent them for three days.

Omale said the presidential panel in the course of its hearing also invited the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of FCMB, Adam Nuru, who appeared before the committee and testified.

“That Mr. Adam Nuru in his testimony informed the Presidential Investigation Committee that the said N573M was credited to the bank account of the 1st claimant (church) in error and that the error was not discovered by the defendant for over four years,” the cleric said.

Omale said they paid the law firm of Gordy Uche (SAN) & Co., the sum of N75m to institute the suit against FCMB and attached a copy of the receipt for the said professional fees to the statement of claim.

He said in all, he had lost N180.5m due to payment of legal fees and personal losses.

Omale, therefore, sought a declaration of the court that the FCMB negligently breached the fiduciary duty of care it owes the claimants by its false automated report to the NFIU of a suspicious credit inflow of N573m into the church account.

The statement of claim further read, “The sum of N5,000,000, 000.00 (Five Billion Naira) being exemplary, aggravated, special and general damages against the defendant for the negligent breach of its fiduciary duty of care to the claimants by its false automated report to the NFIU of a suspicious credit inflow of N573, 228, 040. 41 into the 1st claimant’s corporate current account number 1486743019 with the defendant, which has occasioned grave damages to the claimants.”

Omale is reportedly an associate of Ibrahim Magu, the suspended acting National Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC who is facing investigation by Justice Ayo Salami- led Presidential Panel in Abuja.