Abuja Property Developer, Lawyer Cries out, Says Top NNPC Staff After His Property
A top Staff of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC), Ms. Asabe Waziri has been accused of seeking to use her influence in government to forcefully retain a property owned by an Abuja lawyer and Property Developer, Cecil Osakwe and threatening his career and business in the process.
The top NNPC staff is also being accused of forceful entry into the premises of Abeh Signature Apartments in Maitama, owned by Cecil Osakwe, where she allegedly destroyed properties worth millions of naira for which she was reportedly charged to court.
According by Barr. Victor Giwa, Company Secretary of Abeh Signature Apartments, trouble started when the company, in compliance with the Money Laundering Act, reported the payment of thousands of dollars in cash by Asabe Waziri, a civil servant, to the company for the purchase of two blocks of two-bedroom flats at Abeh Signature Apartments in Abuja.
Giwa, in a statement in Abuja in Monday stated that the company flagged the said transaction in cash as “suspicious transaction” being contrary to the extant financial transaction regulations under the Money Laundering Act.
According to Giwa “Cecil Osakwe was curious about Asabe Waziri’s payment of Dollars in cash for the purchase of the property. He tried but no avail to obtain explanation from Waziri as to why, as a Civil servant, she will pay thousands of dollars in cash for such a transaction without passing through the financial institution, an act that raises suspicion as to the source of the fund.
“Following the suspicion, Abeh Signature as a law-abiding company instituted the case against Asabe Waziri, pursuance to the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 (as amended).
“The FCT High Court after hearing all parties upheld the case of the Company that Asabe Waziri’s transaction in cash was contrary to the law and with the intention to conceal the source of the fund.
“The Court ordered Asabe Wazri to immediately vacate the flats and deliver possession to the Company while ordering Cecil Osakwe to refund all the money collected from her for the purchase of the flats.
“While Cecil Osakwe obeyed the Court Order and refunded the sum to Asabe Waziri, Asabe Waziri has refused to vacate the premises”. he stated.
Giwa described as bizarre that instead of obeying the Court and vacating the property, Ms Asabe Waziri allegedly “resorted to malicious campaign of calumny, character assassination, blackmail, threats and unfounded litigations against Mr. Cecil Osakwe with the aim of tarnishing his hard-earned reputation and integrity as a lawyer and property developer.”
He said the Asabe Waziri, apparently angry that she has been exposed, is now using her influence and closeness to very top officials in the Office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation to harass, threaten and blackmail Osakwe and his company.
The Company Secretary noted that the company is already taking legal action against such officials including the Director for Enforcement, Federal Capital Territory (FCT)High Court, Abuja, Toney Chukwuemeka, who allegedly conspired with Asabe Waziri to forcefully enter into the premises of Abeh Signature Apartments.
Giwa said the company had received reports that Ms. Asabe Waziri had allegedly referred to Osakwe as a “Igbo man who has no say in Nigeria” and reportedly swore that she will damage his reputation and career as a lawyer and property developer for exposing her.
He averred that Abeh Signature remains law-abiding and committed to delivery of service in the most transparent and value-oriented manner in line with industry international best practices.
