By Hassan Zaggi
The Management of Whiteplains British school has applauded the Federal Government for dragging First Bank, its Managing Director and three others to court in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for allegedly forging a tripartite legal mortgage without the consent of the proprietor of the school.
At a media briefing in Abuja, the Chief Executive Officer, Whitepains British Schools Ltd, Dr Francis Chukwuma Nwufoh, said that: “The forgery by first bank I believe is fraud done with the intent and purpose to disposes me of my property.”
He, therefore, urged the office of the AGF and the Minister of Justice to continue the good work by allowing the matter to continue in the court so that First Bank can be brought to book
According to Dr. Nwufor: “Whiteplains British School is happy with the steps taken by the justice ministry by charging all the accused to the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), before Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie. They were to be arraigned on April 27, but they didn’t turn up. Due to their absence, the court fixed May 8 for their arraignment, while we were expecting the defendants to be docked the Director for Public Prosecution applied that his office has asked for further investigation, that the matter should be discontinued.
“While I applaud that move by the ministry, I would like to inform the ministry and the general public that I have first-hand knowledge of the entire exercise and I proudly volunteer to provide relevant information to the DPP or any panel set up to further investigate the heinous crimes committed by the First bank against the Whiteplains British school.”
He, therefore, called on the Ministry of Justice not to discontinue the suit, but take an adjournment for a period as the facts of the matter are handy and can be provided at all times.
“Gentlemen of the press permit me to provide you with the outcome of some of the investigations carried out by some bodies. The House of Representatives committee held a robust investigation of the matter and found the first bank guilty of forging a document to take over our main campus. The police report also indicted the first bank of intention to take our property,” he said.
Dr Nwufoh insisted that he has the full information of the in-depth forgery and crimes committed by Firstbank Nigeria and their executive officers ; and “l will make them available to the Ministries, parastatals, courts of law and the entire world as the matter progresses.
“We the Board and Management of Whitepains British School Ltd will stop at nothing in making sure that we recover our stolen property from Firstbank Nigeria.
“Mind you, this matter has been investigated fully by the Inspector General of Police IG (IRT) and found Firstbank culpable; the National Assembly Committee on Public Hearing . Again after carefully hearing from concerned groups found Firstbank Nigeria culpable.”
He, however, assured that “a copy of the Report of the Committee on Public Petitions shall be made available in our subsequent media briefing.
“Mind you Firstbank in their shameless attitude tried to block the Committee from hearing this heinous crime committed by them saying that the matter has been determined by the Federal Court of Justice by Hon Justice Binta Nyako. At this juncture these bold , fearless and incorruptible members of the Committee under the Headship of Hon. Abonta hushed them by telling them that after every investigation if anyone is found wanted in anyway the next correct thing to do is arraignment and prosecution.
“They reminded them that the matter in Federal High Court was civil and not criminal in nature. They in the Committee also reminded them that they are also Lawyers and that was how the matter was heard and all these revelations came out.
“The First Bank also refused to comply rather decided to employ the services of close 50 thugs and invaded the school in a commando style forcefully took the keys from our Security-men and chased them and all our in-house staff away using self help .
“They went further and hired carpenters to climb the two stories hostel of our boarding students and started removing the long span aluminum sheets thereby allowing rain to be entering our ultra modern purposed built facilities for close to 5 years now .
“The last and final body that investigated this forgery matter is IG -FIB Federal Investigation Bureau .
“Here again the investigation officers met their waterloo when they told the Firstbank Officers to bring the original Tripartite Legal Documents for forensic analysis they refused vehemently .
“They were also asked to identify their Directors who signed the documents they said the signatures were alien to them.
“While all of us from Whiteplain’s side officially submitted our signatures for forensic analysis Firstbank for more than two years refused to sign anything or bring the original documents for the forensic.”
