Ex-Banker's N175m Fraud Trial: Witness Details Alleged Kidnap Plot and N100m Scam
In a dramatic court session at the Federal High Court in Lagos, businessman DR Jude Ndudi has provided chilling testimony against former bank manager Fidelis Egueke, accusing him of orchestrating a kidnap scheme and defrauding him of over N100 million. The allegations emerged during the continuation of Egueke's trial before Justice Alexander Owoeye, with the case filed by the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex Alagbon, Ikoyi, Lagos.
Kidnap Plot Allegations Unfold in Court
Ndudi, who traveled from the United States to Lagos in December 2018 for a business meeting, told the court that Egueke manipulated meeting arrangements under suspicious circumstances. He alleged that Egueke repeatedly changed venues, first claiming businessman Great Ogboru had gone to Delta State and directing him to Asaba, then to Warri. "I declined to go to Warri for security reasons and insisted on meeting in Asaba, Lagos, or Abuja," Ndudi stated. He later received a call from Turner Ogboru, who clarified that Great Ogboru had never left Lagos, leading Ndudi to believe Egueke was sending him to Warri—Egueke's hometown—to be kidnapped for ransom.
Details of the N100 Million Fraud Scheme
On December 7, 2018, Egueke took Ndudi to Great Ogboru's office in Ikoyi, where he was persuaded to provide a N100 million loan for Customs clearance of a shipment of frozen fish allegedly arriving at Port Harcourt. As collateral, Egueke's relative company, Fiogret, offered post-dated cheques worth N110 million, with Egueke assuring Ndudi that he controlled Ogboru's N1.7 billion in his bank as additional security. However, Ndudi later discovered that both the ship and the N1.7 billion did not exist, exposing the deal as a scam.
Legal Proceedings and Case History
Egueke faces an amended charge numbered FHC/L/298c/2020, including offences such as conspiracy, fraud, unlawful conversion, obtaining by false pretence, unauthorised withdrawal, and forgery. The trial has seen multiple judges, starting with Justice (Prof) Chuka Obiozor in November 2020, then Justice Tijjani Ringim in August 2022, and currently Justice Alexander Owoeye after transfers. Justice Owoeye has adjourned the matter until July 9, 2026, for further hearing, highlighting the prolonged nature of this high-profile case.
This testimony sheds light on serious allegations of financial crime and personal endangerment, underscoring the complexities of fraud cases in Nigeria's judicial system.
