Connect with us

Society

FAKE NIGERIAN PRINCE JAILED FOR 7 YEARS FOR FRAUD IN UK

Published

on

A Nigerian who was posing as a member of the Royal family, and mingling with diplomats, captains of industry and senior police officers has been jailed for fraud in UK.

Daily Mail reports that Dr Yilkyes Bala who hails from Plateau State was chauffeur-driven in a black Bentley and hosted sumptuous dinners at the Dorchester to mix with society’s elite.

But the supposedly flourishing businessman was in fact a criminal mastermind responsible for an ambitious immigration racket.

Investigators believe he helped more than 100 of his countrymen, including most of his extended family, to enter the UK illegally under false and stolen identities.

At the centre of the scam was a corrupt Home Office worker who sold him genuine, but improperly issued, refugee passports for £1,500 each.
Bala then used his network of security companies to give the illegal immigrants references and jobs.

They could then ‘hit the jackpot’ and obtain a National Insurance number, giving them full citizen’s rights and access to State benefits.bala 2

But the racket, which continued for up to 16 years, unravelled when the Home Office employee was caught out.

This week Bala, 55, was starting a seven year jail sentence from August 1st, after a jury convicted him of conspiring to breach immigration laws.

A judge at Canterbury Crown Court said the charming fraudster was ‘at the hub’ of a ‘significant conspiracy’ to beat UK border security.

The conviction is an embarrassment for those who mixed with Bala, including the Nigerian Ambassador and senior officers at City of London Police.

The charming conman referred to himself as ‘His Royal Highness Prince Yilkyes Bala Finok Tonglele PhD State Crown Prince’.

He even carried an identity card claiming to be ‘prince of princes’ in the Nigerian Plateau State Council of Chiefs.

Investigators found he did not inherit the honour, but he claimed it was bestowed on him later in life, and they have been unable to disprove this.

Bala travelled to Britain in the early 1980s before studying administration at Greenwich School of Management as part of a philosophy doctorate.

He already claimed to have a degree from the now-defunct Clayton University, in Missouri, U.S., long suspected as a ‘buy-a-degree’ college.

He went on to set up a network of companies and claimed that at one stage they employed 900 people across Europe, Asia and Africa.

The core business was supplying security guards to the construction industry, including one firm based in Knightsbridge, Central London.

His companies, which included Golden Shield and Mayfair and Knightsbridge Guarding, also provided alarm monitoring, VIP bodyguards and uniformed guards for offices.

bala 2

Within two decades Bala, a father of six, was living in a £1.3million home in leafy Beckenham, South East London.

He joined the Croydon branch of the Masons and sent his daughters to fee-paying Blackheath High School.

But a huge investigation, which Bala claimed cost up to £10 million, unravelled his empire and exposed him as a ruthless conman.

Officials discovered a corrupt Home Office employee based in Croydon had improperly obtained more than 200 refugee passports.

In genuine cases they are used as travel documents for those claiming asylum in Britain, often fleeing religious or political persecution.

But the official was illicitly applying for them in the name of non-existent relatives of genuine refugees.

At least 91 documents were posted to addresses linked to Bala, who ran the Armour Group chain of companies with offices across the capital.

They were then used as the foundation for applications to remain in the UK as he and his accomplices ran rings around immigration officials.

Those linked to Bala used every trick in the book to beat border controls, from urgent medical visas to travelling as domestic servants.

Some were so shameless that they changed their names by deed poll back to their original identities within weeks of adopting the persona of a non-existent refugee.

Among those given false identities so they could remain in Britain were Bala’s second wife and his brother.

After his arrest, Bala boasted to officials that he was allowed up to seven wives, ‘and a few more on the side’.

Investigators found his home stuffed with paperwork linked to his businesses, with documents in his garage filling two vans alone.

Because of the complex web of his businesses it took the Home Office two years to prepare the case against him.

The illegal immigrants caused chaos in Government systems once they had obtained their new identities.

One man was uncovered by his fingerprints when he was caught drink driving on two occasions, first under his real name and then in a false one.

In some cases, illegal immigrants had already failed to gain citizenship under one name so simply adopted a new identity to try again.

Official company minutes for Bala’s security companies recorded the same people attending meetings under different names.

Bala’s second wife Giwo Tonglele, 46, was also convicted of conspiracy to facilitate illegal entry of persons into the UK and was jailed for five years.

Their former employee Casmir Ekwuhga, 42, was jailed for four years for taking part in the conspiracy, holding a refugee passport illegally and using it to obtain a driving licence fraudulently.

bala 3

Jailing them, Judge Heather Norton said the scam was well organised.

She said: ‘These documents were created to order. Each one of you was involved in deceiving the immigration authorities. You were at the hub of the whole enterprise.

‘The motive was simple.It was to provide identities for employees, relatives and friends. It was a significant conspiracy.’

More than 100 illegal immigrants linked to the scam have been arrested, but only a small number are believed to have been convicted and deported.

David Fairclough, of the Home Office, said Bala was brought to justice after a ‘long, complex and painstaking investigation’ and said the case should serve as a warning to others.

Continue Reading
Advertisement

Society

Boosting Health Access: Lasaco Assurance Supports NYSC Corps Members’ Health Mission”

Published

on

By

 

Insurance underwriter, Lasaco Assurance Plc, has donated health recovery items to support the Health Initiative Programme of the National Youth Service Corps members serving in the Ifako Ijaiye Local Government area of Lagos State.

A statement from the firm said that the donation was to boost health development in the country.

 

Some Corps members, under the aegis of Local Government Initiative, for their first quarter Health Initiative, embarked on a project to provide health services to rural dwellers, whose access to quality health services was limited due to poverty, ignorance and superstition.

 

Lasaco Assurance supported the corps members to reach the target audience and help them overcome their difficulties in accessing quality health.

10 corps members head to India for youth exchange programme

Group trains youths to solve environmental challenges

NYSC confirms release of abducted corpers

The company’s Head of Corporate Communications, Seye Smart, who represented the Head of Strategy, Research and Communications, Dayo Adetokun, at the presentation of the gift items to the corps members, emphasised the importance of exposing the citizens to quality health and safety as that would improve their capacity, make them function well and prolong their life expectancy.

 

A healthy citizen, she explained, would contribute meaningfully to the growth of society and be useful for the development of humanity.

Leader of the LGI team, Bose Ojimi, said the programme was the group’s modest contribution to the country’s quest for improved health and safety for Nigerians and hoped that other corporate organisations would follow in the footsteps of Lasaco Assurance to offer necessary assistance to the people.

Continue Reading

Society

Yahaya Bello absent as court adjourns, EFCC mulls military’s help to fish him out 

Published

on

By

 

Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court Abuja has adjourned the suit instituted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, to April 23rd.

 

The adjournment is for substituted service and possible arraignment of Bello for alleged N84bn money laundering. At the resumed sitting, Counsel for the EFCC, Kemi Phinro, told the court that the immediate past governor of Kogi State was absent from court for his arraignment because he was being protected by someone with immunity.

 

Phinro said the former governor was whisked out of his Abuja residence by the same person with immunity. Phinro said the anti-graft agency might seek the help of the military to fish him out to come face his arraignment. Responding to this submission, Yahaya Bello through his counsel, Abdulwahab Muhammad, told the court that there is an order of the court restraining the EFCC from arresting or arraigning him.

 

Muhammad said a Kogi State High Court had on February 9, 2024 restrained the EFCC from arresting or arraigning the former governor. He added that the EFCC has appealed the ruling and the Court of Appeal was yet to decide on the matter. He pointed out that the action of the EFCC was unconstitutional and the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain any charge from

the EFCC.

Continue Reading

Society

Billionaire Businessman, Tunde Ayeni’s Talk of the town Daughters Wedding

Published

on

By

Barr. John Olatunde Ayeni C.O.N is indeed a man of high repute with a highly cerebral nature blessed with suave, elegance and finesse. As a young man, he has carved a niche for himself as a seasoned investor and a finance person with a background in the legal profession after bagging a law degree at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria before he was called to bar. Everything he touches turns into gold. He is a man who knows the true spirit of friendship and brotherhood which has elevated him to the position he holds today. The erstwhile Chairman of Skye Bank has created his name in gold as one of the best brains to have come out of Nigeria as he sits atop several high business conglomerates.

 

One thing has remained constant for him he is a man who loves his family and will never trade anything for his family. More reason he spared no cost to ensure his daughter Abolaji Ayeni gets one of the biggest wedding Soiree with her hubby Oluwatobiloba Adeoye that will never be forgotten in a hurry. It was a rollercoaster of events that remained colourful and also further cents Ayeni’s position as a crowd puller as all his friends turned up for him to celebrate him and his family in one of their proud moments as a father.

 

Last year 2nd of December, the Groom’s family was hosted by Ayeni at an introduction ceremony at his Lagos residence and from that moment he has told his friends that; the wedding shindig would be one to remember as he is putting lots of resources into making the day a memorable one and also appreciate his daughter for making him and his wife proud parents.

 

On Thursday the 11th of April, Ayeni and his family hosted a traditional engagement wedding in Lagos Ikoyi where it was a parade of cultural aesthetics from the best Aso-Ebi to the best of Agbada and music as Yinka Aiyefele serenade the audience with his musical rendition there was an array of cuisines that guests savoured their taste buds with and lots of high-cost drinks.

On Saturday the 13th of April, Ayeni also pulled his heavyweight as the Church wedding where the couples were tied together by Pastopr Tunde Bakare’s Latter Rain Church in Oregun before the train moved to the reception at the Balmoral Hall of the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island where guests were treated like a king, the whole V.I corridor was locked down as automobiles of different kinds took over the roads.

 

It was an absolute display of wealth, opulence and splendour as the who is who in Nigeria’s business, political and socialite space were in attendance. The roll call was quite an elitist one as it was like a gathering of stars with deep pockets. The father of the bride adorned in his full Agbada was seen smiling cheerfully welcoming his guests and also making sure those who attended were given the best of treats. The food was local and continental and the wines served were vintage wines. It was like a carnival as Evangelist Dunni Olarewaju (Opelope Annionting)coroner was on the bandstand while King Wasiu Ayinde Marshall the Fuji maestro also serenaded the audience.

 

Those who attended confessed that Ayeni is not only a master planer in the boardroom he is also a master planner of soirees and a good host with a high sense of hospitality. Those spotted were; the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, Kogi State Secretary to the State Government; Mrs Ayoade Folashade, Former Governor of Ogun State Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Chairman Federal Inland Revenue Service; Dr Zacch Adedeji Former Governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, Former Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Niyi Adebayo, Hajia Bola Shagaya, Olugbon of Ilegbon Oba Francis Alao, Olofin of Isheri Oba Sulayman Bamgbade, Elegushi of Ikate Land Oba Saheed Elegushi, Akinshiku Dosumu Oba Otudeko, Iyaloja of Lagos Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, Mogaji Wole Arisekola, Former Fidelity Bank MD Mr Nnamdi Okonkwo, Daily Times Publisher Mr Fidelis Anosike and wife Rita Dominic-Anosike, Nkiru Anumudu, Segun Awolowo, Terry Waya, Comfort Obamuyiwa, Aisha Achimogu, Abu Abel, Abisagboola ‘Bankuli’ Oluseun and a host of others.

By: Oladapo Shofowora.

Continue Reading

Trending