The younger brother of the Governor of Bayelsa State, Oruaze
Dickson, has been linked to the arrest and detention of a Lagos trader, John
Babundo, for failing to deliver 69 bags of rice he (Dickson) contracted him to
buy from Cotonou, Benin Republic.
PUNCH Metro learnt that Dickson had paid the Delta State
indigene over N1m to buy the rice sometime in September 2016.
Babundo was said to have contacted some dealers in Badagry,
Lagos State, who promised to deliver the rice at the price of N952,500,
including the cost of transporting the goods to Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
He allegedly paid into the bank account of the men, only to
discover that they were fraudsters.
The case was said to have been reported to policemen at the
Federal Special Anti- Robbery Squad, Adeniji Adele, Lagos State.
Babundo, when contacted by our correspondent, lamented that
despite spending over N600,000 on investigation into the matter, he was still
under intense pressure from Dickson, who allegedly caused policemen from
Bayelsa State to arrest him.
He explained that Dickson turned down his offer to repay the
money by instalments, adding that he was put in detention for over two weeks.
He said, “I am a Lagos-based trader. I am also the Managing
Director of JC Chemical and Marketing Limited. Sometime in May 2016, a friend
of mine, who is a cousin to Aze (Dickson), introduced me to the family. Aze’s
wife then asked if I could supply them rice and I said yes.
“I was contracted to supply rice to the tune of 69 bags at
the rate of N13,200 per bag, which included transport cost. On September 14,
2016, I was paid N1,010,800 through a foods company owned by Aze.
“To source the rice, my brother, Francis, introduced me to
one Hajiya Yusuf Ongwa, a trader in Mile 2. The woman took me to one Mr. Faleye
Alaba, a purported rice dealer based in Owode Apa, Badagry.
“The man took me to a warehouse and showed me the rice. We
negotiated and agreed at N12,500 per bag. I was asked to pay N90,000 for the
transport to Yenagoa.”
He explained that he paid N952,500 into an account number
provided by Alaba, adding that he got Alaba’s phone number and that of one
Kunle, who was to drive the truck with the rice to Yenagoa.
Babundo said he was surprised when he learnt that the rice
was not delivered, adding that he also discovered that the two numbers were no
longer reachable.
He said, “On visiting the warehouse at Owode Apa, I and the
people that went with me were almost lynched when I said we
paid someone money for some bags of rice. It became clear to us that the
warehouse was used by Alaba and his cohorts, in collaboration with a brother to
the owner of the warehouse, to defraud us.
“I reported the case to the Federal SARS and the woman that
took me there, Hajiya Ongwa, was arrested. I fully briefed Aze (Dickson) of the
development. I was, however, surprised when some policemen from Bayelsa came to
arrest me. I was taken to Yenagoa, where I was detained for two weeks.
“I begged that I would pay back the money by instalments
after depositing N200,000, but he insisted that he wanted the rice or the N1m
refunded at once.”
Babundo explained that he was later granted bail, adding
that the Bayelsa policemen had, since then, been making life difficult for him.
He explained that they had been calling him, making threats
and summoning him to Bayelsa State at will to “provide information that would
aid police investigation.”
Dickson, however, declined to state his own side of the
issue, saying it was a private matter.
He said, “I don’t think it is everything that relates to
somebody that is related to the governor that should be written about. There
are hundreds of cases in the court, so why did you choose to show interest in
this one? Is it because the governor’s brother is involved? It is unnecessary.
There are many stories for you to write. I don’t entertain journalists who
think because my brother is a governor I don’t have a life to live.”
The Bayelsa State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP
Butswat Asinim, confirmed the case.
He said, “I have been informed that the matter has been
charged to court. I don’t know anything more than that on the case.”
The Force Spokesperson, Jimoh Moshood, said he had yet to be
briefed by officers at the Federal SARS in Lagos.
“I will get in touch after speaking with them,” he said.
He had, however, yet to get in touch with our correspondent
as of the time of filing this report.
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