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Alleged Fraud: Investors Protest At Christ Embassy In PH

Scores of victims of a forex firm, MBA Trading and Capital Investment Limited, last Sunday, picketed the Christ Embassy Church located on Peter Odili Road in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
The protesters, numbering over 50, said they invested various sums of money in the company with a promise to get their payment, but two years after, nothing has been heard from the company’s Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Maxwell Odum.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had declared the company’s Maxwell Odum wanted for alleged fraud in 2021, following a petition it received from the victims who stormed its premises to protest and demand the former’s arrest.
The protesters, including women, said they were going through untold hardship and suffering since the company allegedly collapsed, saying that some of them had died from depression, while some had been evicted from their houses due to their inability to pay rent.
The protesters, under the aegis of ‘victims of MBA forex fraud’, gathered at the road leading to the church with placards chanting songs to drive home their demands, saying, ‘Maxwell Odum, pay us our money.’
However, a mild drama occurred while they marched towards the church as a team of policemen stopped them from going further.
But irked by the presence of the security operatives, the protesters raised their voices and continued singing.
Some of the inscriptions on the placards read, ‘My hard-earned money should not be your tithe’, ‘Maxwell, when will your stories expire?’ ‘Maxwell, I can’t feed well again because of you,’ ‘Our children are driven out of school for lack of fees.’
Others were: ‘How do you even sleep at night?’ ‘Stop fraud; pay us our money, ‘investors are in pains,’ and many more.
This was as the policemen blocked them with three patrol vans while some officials of the church trooped out to know what the situation was.
Speaking to newsmen, the leader of the protest, Christian Agadaga, said they were in the church to register their grievances because the failed firm’s boss, Odum was a member of the Christ Embassy.
Agadaga said, “Victims of the MBA forex fraud have assembled at Christ Embassy Church at Odili Road in Port Harcourt today to register our displeasure and to say how we feel.
“Our pain, agony, and our calamities are because of just one man, Odum, who defrauded Nigerians who invested in his company to the tune of N213billion.
“He promised to pay the returns on our investment but today, he is nowhere to be found,” he alleged.
Agadaga said, “While we were trying to recover from the shock for over two years now, recently, the EFCC has declared three persons wanted. From our findings, these persons are all members and workers of this church, Christ Embassy.
“We have come here to let the leadership of the church know our pains. We want to use this opportunity to appeal to the founder of this church, Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, a man we have seen for some time now, who doesn’t tolerate misconduct.
“For him (Oyakhilome) to have, some days ago, suspended his relation from all church activities over an action he didn’t find pleasing, shows the kind of person he is.
“We are appealing to him to immediately reveal the hiding places of these persons, declare wanted those that are members and part of his church to the EFCC.
“We cannot take this anymore. Some of us have died. Some are hospitalised. Few of us that are still alive are not sure of tomorrow. Many of us are homeless as a result of this fraud meted out on us by pastors of Christ Embassy.”
He added, “Now, we are asking our money as victims whose money has been siphoned, the pastors should return the money now to the EFCC. We cannot tolerate this anymore because we cannot continue to die in silence. We must take our money back.”
He also gave a five-point demand to the EFCC to apprehend all those allegedly linked to the fraud.
“We demand that the EFCC launch a full-scale manhunt against all persons declared wanted in connection with the MBA forex fraud and recover all assets belonging to them.
“We demand that all bank managers, directors and members of staff, who aided and abetted all illegal transactions on the MBA forex be made to face the law.
“We demand that the EFCC open all properties so far ceased for the temporary usage of all victims of the MBA forex, pending when the promises made to them are fulfilled.
“Because the MBA forex investors can no longer endure this frustration, we are giving the EFCC 21 working days to immediately swing into action and make sure all those declared wanted are arrested and prosecuted.
“It has taken almost two years and Odum has not been arrested. We demand that the EFCC show sincerity in this fight by declaring a reward to any person, group or institution across the world with information that could lead to his arrest,” he stated.
But speaking to our correspondent, an official of the church, who did not want his name in print, expressed sadness that the protesters would come to disrupt ongoing service.
“Why would they bring their protest to the temple of God? This is a church. It is completely unacceptable. This is sacrilege,” he said.
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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