Tobias Sylvester
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared Pastor Onyinmiebi Bribena and his wife, Beatrice Bribena, wanted over alleged N2 billion fraud.
Pastor Onyinmiebi Bribena
The cleric, who is a pastor at Christ Embassy, had fled Nigeria last year after failing to pay investors their return on investment (ROI), leading to protests in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
A statement by the EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, said the Bribenas are the promoters of Baraza Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited, a Bayelsa-based ponzi scheme.
“We are dedicated to improving members’ lives via financial empowerment, business financing, thrift & credit, housing, scholarship, etc,” the company’s profile read.
The couple promised a 25 percent Return on Investment monthly. Their company also has branches in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers capital, and some other parts of the country.
EFCC spokesman said Pastor Bribena had alleged that some staff of the cooperative compromised its systems by defrauding the organization of over N300 million.
He added that the organization was carrying out a forensic audit to enable it to pay a backlog of unpaid surpluses to the investors and members, a promise that was never fulfilled.
The statement added, “Bribena and Beatrice are both natives of Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. Their last known address is: No 163 Mbiama Yenagoa Road, Biogbolo, Bayelsa State.
“Anybody with useful information as to their whereabouts should please contact the Commission in its Benin, Kaduna, lbadan, Sokoto, Gombe, Maiduguri, Makurdi, llorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt and Abuja offices or through these numbers 09-9044751-3, 0B093322644, 08183322644, 070-26350721-3, 070-6350724-5; Its e-mail address: [email protected] or the nearest Police Station and other security agencies.”
KanyiDaily had also reported how the EFCC dragged a female pastor, Mercy Daniel Ogbonaya, before the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, over N23 million fraud.
