EFCC Puts Caveat Emptor On Cecilia Ibru’s Assets

PHOTO: CECILIA IBRU IN COURT.

THEWILL ACQUIRES DOCUMENTS; SEE ATTACHMENT.

San Francisco Jan 17, (THEWILL) – The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has reaffirmed that all 104 premium Assets seized from the former managing director of Oceanic bank Plc, Mrs. Cecilia Ibru remained seized warning all institutions, government agencies and individuals not to enter into any form of transaction regarding the assets.

In a Caveat Emptor titled “Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in the matter of Oceanic Bank Plc,” dated January 16th, 2009 and signed by commission’s Chairman, Farida Waziri, it said anyone who sells or disposes of any of the assets is punishable under Section 32 of the EFCC Act, 2004.

“Notice is further given that it is an offence punishable under Section 32 of the EFCC Act, 2004 with imprisonment for a term of five years without option of fine to deal with, sell or otherwise dispose of this attachment without the authorization of the commission. You are warned.”

The assets include real estate in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Abuja, South Africa, Dubai, London and the United States. The commission also listed shares held banks and other Nigerian A-list companies.

The commission particularly warned Registrars of Titles/Deeds in Rivers and Lagos States and the FCT not to dispose of any of the properties without its authorization. It also warned the Central Securities Clearing System, capital market operators, estate surveyors and valuers, the stock exchange, banks and non-financial institutions, including persons who may have ties to the properties.

Some of the Properties seized as earlier reported by THEWILL are:

1. 4155 Chariot Way purchased for $452,508,00 on March 12, 2009 and registered to Anita Da silva Ibru,

2. 4145 Chariot Way purchased for $440,105.00 and also registered to Anita Da silva Ibru on April 14, 2009.

3. 4139 Chariot Way purchased for $451,629.00 and also registered to Edesiri Onatejerohene Ibru on April 21, 2009.

4. 4149 Chariot Way purchased for $473,657.00 and registered to Obaro and Hirut Ibru also on April 21, 2009.

5. 4141, Chariot Way purchased for $441, 790 on April 13, 2009 for herself.

6. 4143 Chariot Way Purchased for $439,362.00 on April 13, 2009 for herself also.

7. 14605 Hawley Lane purchased for $399,990.00 on July 22, 2008 and registered to her daughter, Janet Ibru,

8. 14630 Hawley Lane purchased for $ 460,703.00 May 17, 2008 and registered to Janet Ibru.

9.14721 Argos Place purchased for $457,950 and registered to Janet Ibru on October 28, 2008.

10. 14719 Argos Place purchased for $451,840.00 on November 26, 2008 and registered to Janet Ibru.

11. 11300 Dappled Grey Way purchased for $987,949.00 on October 7, 2008 and registered to herself.

There are also about 57 properties in Lagos Abuja and Port Harcourt. They include:

1. 15,000 square metres of land at Okunade Water Front, Victoria Island in Lagos.

2. 12-storey Tower on one hectare of land at Ozumba Mbadiwe Water Front, Lagos

3. Three residential Towers in Port Harcourt GRA.

4. Residential block with 19 apartments on 34 Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi

5. 35B Isale Eko Avenue, Dolphin Ikoyi.

6. 103 Hectares of land in Lagos.

7. 3, Okotie-Eboh, SW Ikoyi.

8. 10A Sobo Arobiodu Street, Ikeja.

9. One Storey building at 50 Marina, Lagos

10. Seven properties on 5A George Street, Ikoyi.

11. 4B, 5B George Street, Ikoyi.

12. Metro Plaza Building in Abuja where the British Visa Section is located.

13. Flats 1-4 Block D33, Abuja Games Village.

In South Africa, there are residential properties purchased with Oceanic funds through Accustrat (PTY) Limited, Meha Real Estate, Scharde Designs (PTY) Limited and Vakson Freehold Properties.

In Dubai, UAE, she is alleged to own 28 shops at the International City Building including seven residential properties in an upscale community.

Our investigations into the properties acquired in Maryland, USA, led us to estate agent, Sharon Blackett of Agape Global Real Estate who facilitated the purchase of all the houses acquired by Mrs. Ibru in the east coast state.

Sharon told THEWILL she had no idea the funds were illegally acquired and informed us that her company was only approached to render a service. She declined to comment further due to US client information protection laws.

Our checks on how the properties were acquired in the Oak Creek Club gated community, Upper Marboro revealed a carefully executed scheme by Mrs. Ibru to keep the transactions under the radar. Documents acquired by THEWILL showed that some properties acquired in her daughters name Janet, and her daughter in-law, Dr. Kemi Da silva Ibru were immediately transferred to her within nine weeks, interestingly, there were no records of any financial deals associated with the transfer of properties.

Some of the companies which she used to launder funds include Cloudy Heights, Enifor, Prisky Gold, Bliss Bloss, Velvox and Circular Global, which she used to acquire over 275 million shares in First Bank Nigeria Plc for N275,795,139.

She also used the companies to acquire over 64 million shares in Union Bank of Nigeria valued at 64, 218,000; 93 million shares in the United Bank for Africa for N93,750,000; Oceanic Bank Plc,  N1,076,220,421 worth of shares.

Other acquisitions include, 13 million shares in Oando for N13, 200,000 and another 388 million units of shares in other companies, 600 million shares in BGL Plc.

Another company linked to her, Prisky Gold was used to purchase 48.8 million shares in Access Bank Plc, 8,140,500 in Dangote Flour, 12,480,000 in Dangote Sugar Refinery, 12.500,000 in Fidelity Bank, 27,434,791 shares in First Bank, 25,316,400 in Japaul Oil, 10, 280,000 in Zenith Bank, and 200,000,000 shares in Transcorp Plc.

Africa Lloyd, another company traced to her purchased 431,201,702 million shares of Oceanic Bank Plc.

Cecilia Ibru was sacked from Oceanic Bank alongside four other managing directors of Nigerian banks for various financial offences while they were at the helm of affairs at their banks.

They have all been charged to court by the commission.