I never claimed to be billionaire – Retired Anambra CP, Adeoye

Retired Police Commissioner of Anambra State, Aderemi Adeoye, on Friday, denied reports of him claiming to be a billionaire.

Adeoye also denied saying he was competing with Aliko Dangote, the Forbes’ richest African.

Featuring on Arise Television’s programme, The Morning Show, the retired Commissioner called for a video clip of him making such a claim, stressing that he never amassed wealth or abused his office.

He, however, affirmed reports of investing in an investment club, saying the civil service rules and police code of conduct do not bar anyone from investing, nor is the law against buying shares.

Adeoye, who retired from service in April, 10 months after he led the police command in Anambra State, had allegedly said he would venture into business to give Dangote a run for his money.

Dismissing the claims, the retired Police Commissioner said: “I have never said anything of such. I weigh my words before I utter them and every word say, I say in good faith. I never said I am now a billionaire and anyone who has proof to the contrary is challenged to produce it.

“Now, as to whether I have used my office (by running an investment club). Those who make their assertion should also prove that if they have evidence.

“Civil service rules and police code of conduct do not bar anyone from investing. There is no law against buying shares. There is no law against investing in land or property. The only thing is that you must be able to justify the means. Civil servants belong to cooperatives. I am a member of the police cooperative. There is no law against it.”

He said during his service period, he equipped himself through trainings in Nigeria and abroad and gained financial education, leading to the establishment of an investment club in 2018 by members of a forum he had lectured.

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On the allegation that a search at Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and on Google failed to establish that the club was legally registered, he said he did the same search himself and found several entries that explained to the world what the investment club does and its mode of operation.

“It is an investment club that has a loan arm that is registered with the Lagos State government as a cooperative and we are registered with the CAC. I have our certificate of registration here, and I hereby display it for the world to see. Not only are we registered with the CAC, our annual filings are up to date with them.

“Like I mentioned earlier, our known arm is also registered with the state government as a cooperative. Here is our SCUML certificate issued by the EFCC. So you can begin to see when someone says we don’t exist, we are not registered, and I’ve shown evidence that we are, including registration with the EFCC.

“The inspector general of police is a disciplinarian. He does not tolerate nonsense and the IG will not condone an officer going into anything that is against the ethics of the job, and will look on. The IG never does that.

“The IG forwarded the petition to me in the spirit of fairness, and I replied, addressing every issue that was raised in the petition. He was satisfied.”