By Our Correspondent
Contrary to claims that the acquisition of Union Bank of Nigeria followed due process and met all regulatory requirements, the Team of Special Investigators investigating the activities of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under the leadership of its embattled former governor, Godwin Emefiele, has again faulted the process.
In another letter of invitation sent to the Chairman of Titan Trust Bank (TTB), Mr Babatunde Lemo, titled: CBN Investigation Activities Invitation for a follow-up meeting with the Special Investigator, the investigating team said some critical questions regarding the acquisition of Union Bank remained unanswered.
The latest invitation letter made available to ThisNigeria dated Sunday, December 24, 2023, and issued by the Head of Operations in the Office of the Special Investigator, DCP Eloho Okpoziakpo, has summoned Lemo and others to appear before it by 2pm on December 28, at the Department of Force Intelligence (DFI) in Abuja without fail or excuse.
The team had earlier on August 28 invited Lemo and other core shareholders of TTB for a crucial meeting, but the Secretary of Union Bank Plc, Somuyiwa Sonubi, had in response to the invite on September 1, given reasons why the invited persons could not meet up the appointment.
However, the latest invitation was sequel to Lemo’s defence in one of the national dailies on Sunday, following the release of the report of the special investigation into the activities of the CBN and other related entities.
Lemo, a former deputy governor of CBN, stated that TTB fulfilled all obligations, including that of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Central Bank of Nigeria, in the acquisition of Union Bank.
But the Office of the Special Investigator in the latest invite said, “Please refer to your discussion with the Special Investigator earlier today regarding the offensive defence that your good self-issued in Punch newspapers, on behalf of TTB which you chair, as well as the email you sent to the Special Investigator today wherein you tried to provide clarification on your reaction to the report on TTB.
“The defence seems contrary to the statements, made under caution, by the persons connected with these transactions, including your good self, before the Special Investigator at the Department of State Service (DSS) in August 2023.
“In the said newspapers, you referred to both Cornelius Vink and Rahul Savara as ‘prominent global entrepreneurs and having thriving businesses in Nigeria… “. In your email as well as your earlier discussion with the Special Investigator, you suggested that both of them be invited to provide clarification on their share ownership and given seven days to make such clarification; failure which they will forfeit their shares to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“We are surprised at your request about these two shareholders. They were given this opportunity via a letter to them dated 28th August 2023 (copy attached as Appendix 1). Instead of honouring the invitation and providing the requested documents, we received a letter from the Company Secretary of Union Bank, Somuyiwa Sonubi, dated 1 September 2023, informing the Special Investigator that Mr Cornelius Vink was out of the country on medical grounds and that both “Messrs Vink and Savara will be available for the meeting as soon as they are in Nigeria which will be soon.
“Up until this offensive defence that you put in the public domain, the Special Investigator has neither heard from them nor received the requested documents. Accordingly, you are hereby invited to come along with Messrs Cornelius Vink and Rahul Savara to meet with the team of investigators by 2pm on 28th December 2023 at the Department of Force Intelligence DFI), Opposite Nigeria Police Force Headquarters, Shehu Shagari Way, Area JJL Garki, Abuja without fail or excuse.
“Please inform them to come along with all the documents/information requested from them by the letter to Mr Cornelius Vink dated 28th August 2023 (attached herewith as Appendix 1). You will also be required to make additional statements to your earlier statement on that day.
“Kindly note that if Messrs Cornelius Vink and Rahul Savara refuse to attend this meeting and provide/defend the requested documents/information, it will be construed that they have decided to forfeit their purported shareholdings in TTB and Union Bank of Nigeria; irrespective of which vehicle that they are using to own the purported shares.
“Should you also refuse to attend the meeting to provide additional statement to your earlier statement made in August 2023, it will be construed that you misled the Nigerian public with your reaction in the Punch Newspapers today which has gained wide publicity in both electronic and print media.
“This invitation is to further ensure that it is beyond reasonable doubt that the Federal Government of Nigeria has given you a fair hearing.”
