Police To Arraign Musiliu Obanikoro’s Son, Gbolahan Over Alleged N1.3bn Fraud

A Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed February 27, 2025, for the arraignment of Gbolahan Obanikoro, son of Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, along with four others, over an alleged fraud involving N1.35 billion.

The other defendants are Adejare Adegbenro, Balmoral International Limited, M.O.B. Integrated Limited, and DDSS International Company Limited.

They face a five-count charge of conspiracy, obtaining by false pretenses, false representation, and fraud.

The arraignment, initially set for Friday, was postponed after the defendants failed to appear in court.

Prosecuting counsel Momoh Bello requested a bench warrant for their arrest, claiming they had been properly served.

However, counsel for M.O.B. Integrated Limited, Joshua Abel, opposed the request, arguing that his client received late notice and the company’s directors were not in Nigeria.

Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa reviewed the service records and noted that while the third and fourth defendants were served within 48 hours, there was no proof of personal service on the first and second defendants.

The judge instructed the prosecution to regularize service and adjourned the case to February 27 for arraignment.

The Inspector General of Police, through the Special Fraud Unit, alleged that the defendants conspired between May and September 2013 to fraudulently obtain over N1.35 billion from Access Bank (formerly Diamond Bank).

They reportedly claimed the funds were for importing cars from Dubai for resale in Nigeria but allegedly diverted the money for personal use.

The charges include violating sections of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud-Related Offenses Act, 2006, and the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

KanyiDaily recalls that in 2016, Musiliu Obanikoro was accused of loading a chartered aircraft with N1.2 billion for transfer to former Governor Ayodele Fayose through an associate, Abiodun Agbele.