ABUJA — The trial of the Chief Executive Officer of Onome Global Market Resources Limited and Lexicon Multi-concept Media Limited, Osabohein Alex Ologbose, and his wife, Hope Onome Oghelemu, took a dramatic turn on Thursday as the third prosecution witness (PW3), Ikechukwu Chikelum, detailed how he was allegedly defrauded of over N500 million in a phantom agricultural export scheme.
Testifying before Justice Ekerete Akpan of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Chikelum chronicled how the defendants, alongside their co-accused director, Alice Ayeni, reeled him into a multi-million-naira web of deceit disguised as a lucrative agro-export venture trading in “bitter kola” and red kolanuts to Asian markets.
The defendants face a seven-count charge brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The charges border on obtaining money by false pretenses, fraudulent fund conversion, and money laundering totaling N740 million, in violation of the Money Laundering Prevention and Prohibition Act of 2022.
A Trail of Fake Certificates and False Promises
The witness told the court that his journey into the catastrophic investment began in June 2023, following an introduction by his friend, Modestus Uche Okafor. Okafor had linked him to Ayeni, a director in Onome Global Market Resources Limited, whom they met at the Nigerian Export-Import (NEXIM) Bank.
According to Chikelum, Ayeni presented a company profile adorned with the photograph and name of the CEO, Onome Alex, alongside official-looking credentials. These included a Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) certificate, an EFCC Special Control Unit against Money Laundering (SCUML) certification, and documents from the Nigerian Export Promotion Council.
Convinced by the apparent legitimacy of the enterprise, Chikelum launched his investment journey by funding a batch of 100 bags of bitter kola at N310,000 per bag. He transferred N31 million from his Ecobank account to Ayobola Anike Ventures, an account provided by Ayeni.
Escalating Stakes and Millions Rushed Abroad
Emboldened by initial reassurances, Chikelum continued to pour staggering sums into the scheme. His subsequent transfers included:
- N62 million for 200 bags of bitter kola destined for China
- N267.22 million for an 862-bag shipment of bitter kola to China
- N220.15 million for 710 bags of bitter kola meant for Hong Kong
- N20.4 million for 60 bags of red kolanuts intended for Indonesia
The witness stated that all payment receipts were promptly forwarded to Ayeni via WhatsApp and duly acknowledged. In total, his financial exposure crossed the N500 million threshold.
Empty Excuses and Church Interventions
After enduring an eight-week blackout without capital repayment or return on investment, Chikelum and his friend confronted Ayeni at her office. Ayeni subsequently arranged a meeting with Onome, who promised that payouts would materialize within two weeks. When that deadline elapsed, a WhatsApp support group was created to manage escalating panic among investors.
Desperate for resolution, a peace meeting was later convened at the Living Faith Church in Lokogoma, Abuja, involving the couple, Ayeni, aggrieved investors, and three resident pastors. During the session, Onome blamed shipping delays for the holdup, claiming a cargo vessel had finally docked in Hong Kong, and pleaded for another two-week grace period.
When no funds arrived after an additional month, the investors engaged legal counsel and petitioned the anti-graft agency.
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”Till date, I have not received my capital or return from the investment from the defendants,” Chikelum lamented under oath.
Justice Akpan adjourned the matter to November 3, 2026, for the continuation of cross-examination by defense counsel Femi Peter Joseph.