EMBEZZLEMENT: ASSEMBLIES OF GOD CHURCH DRAGS GROUP TO EFCC

Professor Paul Emeka and Dr Chidi Okoroafor

For alleged fraudulent conversion of funds worth billions of naira, a faction of the Assemblies of God Church has been dragged to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, by the
Assistant General Superintendent.
The following indicted include the factional General Superintendent and six others.
In a petition tabled by the Assistant General Superintendent, Rev. Ramsey Ogagaoghene to the EFCC highlighted that the General Superintendent, Rev. Dr. Chidi Okoroafor and six others allegedly embezzled over N100 billion belonging to the church, adding that Rev. Okoroafor was the Assistant General Superintendent until March, 2014 when he could not account for funds of the church and formed a parallel group that threw the church into crisis.
According to the petition in parts reads, “On behalf of the Assistant General Superintendent, Rev. Ramsey Ogagaoghene, Bright Arukwe, Clement Esochaghi, Oliver Udensi and Sunday Palma for and on behalf of pastors and other concerned members of the church, we claim that Rev. Vincent Alaje, Rev. Femi Adegoke, Mr. Dickson Ukpai, Mr. Michael Ugbor, Elder Mike Okoro and Tony Ewelike engaged in illegal and unauthorized business without the approval of the General Suprintendent.
“Alaje unilaterally spent about N115 million belonging to the church, personally negotiated and concluded payments for three plots of lands and has started developing the plots without the consent and authority of the General Superintendent and other officers of the church.
“Alaje was fond of commandeering the money of the church, approving same by himself, and authorized payments without the consent of the General Superintendent. This was evidenced by his requisition of 5/4/2013 for the sum of N1.5 million which he tagged, ‘Trip to Ibadan with family.’ The unilateral stashing of fund was after the church magnanimously approved N2 million for him”
The petition further indicted Alaje of illegally collecting N28.5 million as staff investment premium without any authorization, which according to the report, was against the general council accounts procedures. The petition further noted that the same amount was deposited into an account with Diamond Bank.
The group however urged the EFCC body to probe the alleged fraudulent conversion of money and embezzlement of funds belonging to the church by Rev. Okoroafor and his cohorts as they approved money for projects without due process of the church.
The petition further pointed out that Rev. Femi Adegoke, the former media director of the church should also be investigated for allegedly defrauding the church of over N50 milliion.