Connect with us

News and Report

EXPOSED: Pretty Okafor, Kenny George DUPE, Steals PMAN’s N100million’ …… + The Heritage Bank, Diamond Bank Connections….. Full Details Inside!

Published

8 years ago

on

Says: ‘N12million Kept in Heritage Bank Acct No 0002775335, Lodges N80million in Heritage Bank Acct No. 5100155938 and N2million Kept in Diamond Bank Acct No. 0056423168’

* Narrates How they Fleeced Airtel, MTN, Heritage and Diamond Banks

* Under False Pretences Collect Fund from other Unsuspecting Companies

*Opened Illegal Bank Account in PMAN Name without Authorisation of our Trustees’

* Claims: ‘They Are Fraudsters, Criminals engaging in Money Laundering’

*Petitions Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police to Investigate, Prosecute them

 

DAMING ATROCITIES of two impostors, conmen and alleged fraudsters in the activities of Nigeria’s lull music body, Performing Musicians’ Employers Association of Nigeria (PMAN), Pretty Okafor and Kenny George has exposed how they have been collecting various sums of money from different corporate bodies in Nigeria ‘all in the name of entertainment’. As at the last count, a hefty sum of N100million was discovered to have been deceitfully cornered from Airtel, MTN, Heritage/Diamond Banks aside other firms surreptitiously.

Making this shocking revelation known to Nigerians in a petition addressed to Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris by the appointed Chairman, PMAN Caretaker Committee, Kelvin Lucciano Gabriel in a joint referendum unanimously endorsed from the New Caretaker National Committee officially inaugurated by Honorable Minister of Labour and Employment, the document states that “On the 12th of July, 2016, a new National Caretaker Committee of thePerforming Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria – PMAN, was officially inaugurated by the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige at the ministry’s office in Abuja. We have enclosed a recent letter from the Labour ministry to that effect, dated 26th July 2016 to buttress this fact and for your better understanding. The new PMAN National Caretaker Committee has been mandated with the responsibility to manage the affairs of the Union pending the conduct of a fresh National Delegate Conference, amongst others.

 

PMAN Trade Union Status

Regarding the trade union status of PMAN, Kelvin explains: “For your further better understanding, PMAN as a trade union was registered in 1984 under the Trade Unions Act and its activities are regulated by the Registrar of the Trade Unions under the Ministry of Labour and Employment.”

PMAN intra-union Bickering

Detailing various bickering in PMAN which obviously led to long lull in the association and provides lacuna for impostors to steal, Kelvin states: “For some years now, there has been intra-union bickering and controversy amongst our members which principally centers on leadership tussle. As a result of leadership crisis inherent in the union and to resolve all claims to leadership, the new Caretaker Committee under the Chairmanship of Gabriel Kelvin Lucciano was inaugurated after an elaborate nationwide PMAN referendum and consultations which was submitted to the Registrar of Trade Unions which culminated to the Honourable Minister’s inauguration of the committee on the 12th July 2016.

“As a Trade Union, PMAN has its constitution which stipulates the processes that must be followed to produce a legitimate President that presides over the affairs of the Union. The said processes are contained in Rules 8 of PMAN Constitution. However, Rule 13 (4) may apply if the circumstance arises. This Constitution is subsisting till date. It is on record that the only legitimate executive of PMAN before the ensuing of the current crisis was as a result of the PMAN NDC which was held in Kaduna in 2005 which elected Bolaji Rosiji and subsequently produced, Dr. Tee Mac Omatshola Iseli, MFR as the legitimate president of PMAN.

“Owing to the crisis in PMAN, some group of people including one Mr. Pretty Okafor, Mr. Kenny George and Mr. Ibezimako among others instituted a suit before the Federal High Court, Lagos in Suit No: FHC/L/CS/919/2012 and on the 31st day of October, 2014 the Honourable Justice O.E. Abang gave them a consent judgment. The existence of the suit was not made known to the Trustees of PMAN which as at the last known constituted executives of PMAN included Dr. Tee Mac Omatshola Iseli, MFR as President and Engineer. George Dureke as 1stVice President as stipulated in Rule 13 of the PMAN Constitution, neither were their consents obtained before the suit and judgment in the name of the Union.”

419 Activities of Pretty Okafor and Kenny George Exposed

Exposing Okafor and Kenny as criminals on prowl all over Nigeria deceiving corporate organisations, the petition reveals: “ “We were amazed that sometime in November, 2014 this same group of people led by one Mr. Pretty Okafor was parading a judgment of the Federal High Court asserting right to the Union’s leadership. We swung into action and discovered that the matter was filed at the Federal High Court, Lagos in 2012 long after the Federal High Court’s powers to handle Trade Union matters was taken away and given exclusively to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria. Effectively, federal high courts have no jurisdiction over Trade Union Disputes henceforth.

“We mandated our lawyers to set aside the judgment after which they subsequently filed papers before Justice O.E. Abang drawing the Honourable Judge’s attention to the clear Constitutional provisions as to the limit of the Federal High Court over a Trade Union matters and the exclusive jurisdiction of the National Industrial Court over all Trade Union matters.

“On the 14th of April, 2016, the said fraudulent consent judgment was set aside by the same federal high court having accepted its lack of jurisdiction while upholding the exclusive jurisdiction of the Nigerian Industrial Court over the matter. With the recent setting aside and voiding of the frivolous claim to presidency of PMAN by Mr. Pretty Okafor, his claims has effectively come to a conclusive end.”

Okafor, Kenny Stole N100million PMAN Fund, Bank Account Revealed

In this petition sent to Nigeria’s IGP, Kelvin detailed how Kenny and Okafor duped, stole and laundered the sum of N100million belonging to PMAN. His words: “Sir, it has also become clear that soon after the so called ‘consent judgment’ Mr. Pretty Okafor and his team embarked on an elaborate plan to scam and defraud the unsuspecting Nigerian corporate community including the following:

Airtel

MTN

Heritage Bank

Diamond Bank etc

“They have subsequently obtained over one hundred million naira from these unsuspecting organizations and many others under false pretences and misrepresentation using the name of PMAN. They have received and laundered the proceeds of their scam through various illegal bank accounts opened in the name of PMAN without the consent and authorization of the trustees of PMAN.

“These fraudulent bank accounts include those they operate at Heritage Bank and Diamond Bank in Lagos. For the purpose of clarity, the following bank accounts have been used by Mr. Pretty Okafor and his accomplices to fraudulently obtain and launder various large amounts of money from corporate organizations using the name of PMAN:

Heritage Bank account number 0002775335 = N12,000,000

2nd Heritage Bank number 5100155938 = N80,000,000

Diamond Bank account number 0056423168 = N 2,000,000

 

“Sir, we the members of the newly inaugurated PMAN Caretaker Committee hereby humbly and graciously plead that your good offices should cease to deal with Mr. Pretty Okafor as the president of PMAN or any other matters relating to the music industry in the name of PMAN. Mr. Pretty Okafor is not and has never been the president of PMAN or any of its committee in any legal manner whatsoever. Mr. Pretty Okafor is in fact not a card carrying member of PMAN.

For your further better understanding, we have attached the following documents:

Full texts of the certified true copy (CTC) of the court ruling setting aside and nullifying the so called consent judgment by Justice Abang touted around by Mr. Pretty Okafor to lay claims to president of PMAN.A recent letter from the Registrar of Trade Unions under the Ministry of Labour and Employment clearly buttressing our assertions on the present state of affairs in PMAN.Photographs of the inauguration of the new PMAN Caretaker Committee by the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige on 12thJuly 2016.

“A copy of the petition written to the police by Mr. Harris Ibezim Okeilo who acted as the treasurer to Mr. Pretty Okafor but who has since regretted his role in the fraudulent actions of Mr. Okafor using the name of PMAN to defraud corporate organizations.”

Kelvin’s petition to IGP ended with the following requests: “Investigate and verify the sources of all monies obtained by Mr. Pretty Okafor fraudulently by using the name of PMAN.

Investigate all the bank accounts opened illegally in the name of PMAN by Mr. Pretty Okafor for the sole purpose of laundering the proceeds of his scam from corporate organizations.Get Mr. Pretty Okafor to account for all monies he obtained from all sources by illegally using the name of PMAN

Prosecute Mr. Pretty Okafor for all his criminal acts of obtaining huge sums of money using the name of PMAN.”

As at the time of filing this report, there was no word of reaction from Okafor or Kenny, while we keep monitoring development on this issue.

 

SEE BELOW THE FULL PETITION TO NIGERIA’S INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE

The Inspector General of Police

Police Headquarters

Louis Edet House

Abuja, FCT

 

Dear Sir,

ILLEGAL USE OF THE NAME OF THE PERFORMING MUSICIANS EMPLOYERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA – PMAN TO OBTAIN MONEY AND OFFICIAL ACCESS BY DECEPTION AND FALSE PRETENCE BY MR. PRETTY OKAFOR, MR. KENNY GEORGE

On the 12th of July, 2016, a new National Caretaker Committee of the Performing Musicians Employers Association of Nigeria – PMAN, was officially inaugurated by the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige at the ministry’s office in Abuja. We have enclosed a recent letter from the Labour ministry to that effect, dated 26th July 2016 to buttress this fact and for your better understanding. The new PMAN National Caretaker Committee has been mandated with the responsibility to manage the affairs of the Union pending the conduct of a fresh National Delegate Conference, amongst others.

For your further better understanding, PMAN as a trade union was registered in 1984 under the Trade Unions Act and its activities are regulated by the Registrar of the Trade Unions under the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

For some years now, there has been intra-union bickering and controversy amongst our members which principally centers on leadership tussle. As a result of leadership crisis inherent in the union and to resolve all claims to leadership, the new Caretaker Committee under the Chairmanship of Gabriel Kelvin Lucciano was inaugurated after an elaborate nationwide PMAN referendum and consultations which was submitted to the Registrar of Trade Unions which culminated to the Honourable Minister’s inauguration of the committee on the 12thJuly 2016.

As a Trade Union, PMAN has its constitution which stipulates the processes that must be followed to produce a legitimate President that presides over the affairs of the Union. The said processes are contained in Rules 8 of PMAN Constitution. However, Rule 13 (4) may apply if the circumstance arises. This Constitution is subsisting till date. It is on record that the only legitimate executive of PMAN before the ensuing of the current crisis was as a result of the PMAN NDC which was held in Kaduna in 2005 which elected Bolaji Rosiji and subsequently produced, Dr. Tee Mac Omatshola Iseli, MFR as the legitimate president of PMAN.

Owing to the crisis in PMAN, some group of people including one Mr. Pretty Okafor, Mr. Kenny George and Mr. Ibezimako among others instituted a suit before the Federal High Court, Lagos in Suit No: FHC/L/CS/919/2012 and on the 31st day of October, 2014 the Honourable Justice O.E. Abang gave them a consent judgment. The existence of the suit was not made known to the Trustees of PMAN which as at the last known constituted executives of PMAN included Dr. Tee Mac Omatshola Iseli, MFR as President and Engr. George Dureke as 1st Vice President as stipulated in Rule 13 of the PMAN Constitution, neither were their consents obtained before the suit and judgment in the name of the Union.

We were amazed that sometime in November, 2014 this same group of people led by one Mr. Pretty Okafor was parading a judgment of the Federal High Court asserting right to the Union’s leadership. We swung into action and discovered that the matter was filed at the Federal High Court, Lagos in 2012 long after the Federal High Court’s powers to handle Trade Union matters was taken away and given exclusively to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria. Effectively, federal high courts have no jurisdiction over Trade Union Disputes henceforth.

We mandated our lawyers to set aside the judgment after which they subsequently filed papers before Justice O.E. Abang drawing the Honourable Judge’s attention to the clear Constitutional provisions as to the limit of the Federal High Court over a Trade Union matters and the exclusive jurisdiction of the National Industrial Court over all Trade Union matters.

On the 14th of April, 2016, the said fraudulent consent judgment was set aside by the same federal high court having accepted its lack of jurisdiction while upholding the exclusive jurisdiction of the Nigerian Industrial Court over the matter. With the recent setting aside and voiding of the frivolous claim to presidency of PMAN by Mr. Pretty Okafor, his claims has effectively come to a conclusive end.

Sir, it has also become clear that soon after the so called “consent judgment” Mr. Pretty Okafor and his team embarked on an elaborate plan to scam and defraud the unsuspecting Nigerian corporate community including the following:

Airtel

MTN

Heritage Bank

Diamond Bank etc

They have subsequently obtained over one hundred million naira from these unsuspecting organizations and many others under false pretences and misrepresentation using the name of PMAN. They have received and laundered the proceeds of their scam through various illegal bank accounts opened in the name of PMAN without the consent and authorization of the trustees of PMAN.

These fraudulent bank accounts include those they operate at Heritage Bank and Diamond Bank in Lagos. For the purpose of clarity, the following bank accounts have been used by Mr. Pretty Okafor and his accomplices to fraudulently obtain and launder various large amounts of money from corporate organizations using the name of PMAN:

Heritage Bank account number 0002775335 = N12,000,000

2nd Heritage Bank number 5100155938 = N80,000,000

Diamond Bank account number 0056423168 = N 2,000,000

Sir, we the members of the newly inaugurated PMAN Caretaker Committee hereby humbly and graciously plead that your good offices should cease to deal with Mr. Pretty Okafor as the president of PMAN or any other matters relating to the music industry in the name of PMAN. Mr. Pretty Okafor is not and has never been the president of PMAN or any of its committee in any legal manner whatsoever. Mr. Pretty Okafor is in fact not a card carrying member of PMAN.

For your further better understanding, we have attached the following documents:

Full texts of the certified true copy (CTC) of the court ruling setting aside and nullifying the so called consent judgment by Justice Abang touted around by Mr. Pretty Okafor to lay claims to president of PMAN.A recent letter from the Registrar of Trade Unions under the Ministry of Labour and Employment clearly buttressing our assertions on the present state of affairs in PMAN.Photographs of the inauguration of the new PMAN Caretaker Committee by the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige on 12thJuly 2016.A copy of the petition written to the police by Mr. Harris Ibezim Okeilo who acted as the treasurer to Mr. Pretty Okafor but who has since regretted his role in the fraudulent actions of Mr. Okafor using the name of PMAN to defraud corporate organizations.

We would appreciate your kind assistance by instituting a thorough investigation to:

Investigate and verify the sources of all monies obtained by Mr. Pretty Okafor fraudulently by using the name of PMAN.Investigate all the bank accounts opened illegally in the name of PMAN by Mr. Pretty Okafor for the sole purpose of laundering the proceeds of his scam from corporate organizations.Get Mr. Pretty Okafor to account for all monies he obtained from all sources by illegally using the name of PMANProsecute Mr. Pretty Okafor for all his criminal acts of obtaining huge sums of money using the name of PMAN.

Yours sincerely,

Kevin Lucciano Gabriel, Esq.

Chairman, PMAN Caretaker Committee.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Advertisement

News and Report

Beware of fake Oxycontin in circulation, NAFDAC warns public

Published

1 day ago

on

March 21, 2025

By

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has alerted the public on falsified Oxycontin 80mg (oxycodone hydrochloride) which it says was detected in an unregulated market in Switzerland.

The public alert with No. 07/2025 was uploaded on the agency’s website on Thursday.
The agency said the issue about falsified medicine was reported to the World Health Organisation by the genuine manufacturer, MUNDIPHARMA, in February.

It said the falsified product imitated the genuine OXYCONTIN 80mg authorised for sale in Poland, adding that the genuine OXYCONTIN (oxycodone hydrochloride) is a semi-synthetic opioid indicated for the treatment of moderate to severe pain.

It said laboratory tests of samples for the falsified product were conducted by the Drug Information Centre in Zurich, Switzerland, and that WHO, DIZ’s drug-checking service determined that the tablets did not contain oxycodone but a synthetic opioid likely to be a nitazene compound.

According to NAFDAC, Nitazene derivatives (e.g., metonitazene, isotonitazene, fluonitazene) are potent synthetic opioids, primarily used in research due to their high addiction potential and severe side effects.

It said these substances could be hundreds of times stronger than oxycodone, posing a high overdose risk, stressing that limited information is available on their risks, toxicity, side effects, and long-term consequences.

“The identified product in this alert is confirmed as falsified on the basis that it deliberately/fraudulently misrepresented its identity, composition, or source.

“The falsified product imitates OXYCONTIN 80mg manufactured and marketed by MUNDIPHARMA in the Polish market. MUNDIPHARMA has confirmed that the product was falsified and was not produced by their company.

“This falsified product has been found to contain undeclared nitazene compounds, which pose a significant risk due to the high likelihood of adverse events, even in small doses. Nitazenes produce similar effects to other opioids.

“Their high potency carries a high risk of overdose and death. Using nitazene derivatives has been linked to several deaths.

“Mixing them with other depressants like alcohol or benzodiazepines can be very dangerous, leading to severe effects like respiratory depression, low blood pressure, coma, or even death,” NAFDAC said.

It said that this falsified product posed a particular risk to individuals with substance use disorders who might perceive this falsified product as a safe and quality-assured medicine.

NAFDAC said that visible discrepancies were observed on the falsified product such as the placement of the batch and expiry dates on the counterfeit product were incorrect.

It added that the falsified product batch and expiry date are visible on the front side of the blister strip, adding that genuine OXYCONTIN has the batch and expiry date visible on the back of the blister strip.

NAFDAC stated that on the falsified product, the expiry date is on the left and the batch number is on the right, pointing out that genuine OXYCONTIN has the batch number on the left and the expiry date on the right.

According to NAFDAC, all its zonal directors and state coordinators have been instructed to conduct surveillance and retrieve any falsified products of this medicine found within their zones and states in Nigeria.

It said that importers, distributors, retailers, healthcare professionals, and consumers are hereby advised to exercise caution and vigilance within the supply chain to avoid importation, distribution, sale, and use of falsified OXYCONTIN tablets.

NAFDAC said that all medical products/ medical devices must be obtained from authorised/licensed suppliers, stressing that products’ authenticity and physical condition should be carefully checked.

It advised healthcare professionals and consumers to report any suspicion of the sale of substandard and falsified medicines or medical devices to the nearest NAFDAC office, or call NAFDAC on 0800-162-3322 or via email: sf.alert@nafdac.gov.ng.

It said that healthcare professionals and patients are also encouraged to report adverse events or side effects related to the use of medicinal products or devices to the nearest NAFDAC office.

NAFDAC said that healthcare professionals and patients could also report to the agency through the use of the E-reporting platforms available on the NAFDAC website www.nafdac.gov.ng or via the Med- safety application available for download on android and IOS stores or via e-mail on pharmacovigilance@nafdac.gov.ng

NAN

Continue Reading

News and Report

Rivers emergency rule: Why I walked out – Senator Dickson opens up on what happened at Senate close section

Published

1 day ago

on

March 21, 2025

By

The lawmaker representing the Bayelsa West Senatorial District, Senator Seriake Dickson, has revealed that he walked out of the red chamber on Thursday following a heated argument regarding the approval of the State of Emergency in Rivers State.

SOCIETY REPORTERS reports that the Senate on Thursday approved the emergency rule and the six-month suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, and all the state lawmakers, as declared by President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday.

During the Thursday plenary, Senator Dickson, who stiffly opposed the proclamation, had a brief argument with the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, before the House proceeded to a closed session.

In a statement on Friday, Senator Dickson revealed that he raised his “objections in the closed session on how the declaration fell short of constitutional prescription based on my views as a Democrat, sworn to uphold the Nigerian constitution.”

The lawmaker also revealed that though the Senate did not undertake the debate in an open session, “it was quite robust.”

The former governor of Bayelsa State listed Senators Waziri Tambuwal and Enyinnaya Abaribe among those who kicked against the proclamation.

Part of the statement reads: “I left the plenary before the Senate President was directed to report the outcome because I didn’t want to be present while what I opposed was being reported. I believe Senator Tambuwal, Senator Abaribe, and others also left.

“I want to make it clear that, as I stated repeatedly, I spoke and voted against the proclamation in our closed session, supported by Senator Aminu Tambuwal and a few other senators who were not recognized to speak.

“And so I want to thank all the senators who shared the view that I vigorously canvassed.

“I am, however, aware of the efforts made to modify the declaration as a result of the concerns and views we have expressed and canvassed over the past few days.

“Though I acknowledge the effort being made by the leadership and the President to moderate the terms of the declaration and to create a mechanism for oversight, theoretically, this does not counter the primary issue of constitutionality.

“The beauty of democracy is such that the minority will have their say while the majority will have their way.

“I would have wished for a more robust and open debate so that all views and opinions could be openly canvassed, as I requested even at the closed session specifically, and thereafter, the majority could have their way. But as it is, both chambers have decided, and the ball is now in the court of the other arms of government, especially the judiciary, in the event of any challenge.”

Continue Reading

News and Report

Just In: Court restrains INEC from receiving petition for recall of Natasha

Published

1 day ago

on

March 21, 2025

By

The Federal High Court, Lokoja, has granted an interim injunction restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from receiving petitions for the purpose of initiating a recall process against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

SOCIETY REPORTERS reports that the push to recall the suspended senator intensified on Thursday, with more groups in Kogi Central throwing their weight behind the process.

However, a group of Ebira indigenes refuted the claim that the recall process was being sponsored and influenced with money by Akpoti-Uduaghan’s political opponents.

Nevertheless, the court, which gave the order on Thursday, also restricted INEC staff, agents, privies, or assigns from accepting or acting on any petition containing fictitious signatures of purported members of the Kogi Central Senatorial District and from conducting any referendum pending the determination of the motion on notice to the same effect.

The court, according to the order paper made available to newsmen on Friday morning, granted the application following an ex-parte application for an interim injunction supported by an affidavit of extreme urgency.

The court processes were sworn to by Anebe Jacob Ogirima for himself and four others who are registered voters and constituents of the Kogi Central Senatorial District of Kogi State.

However, the application was moved by Smart Nwachimere, Esq., of West-Idahosa, SAN & Co., but the case has been adjourned to May 6, 2025, for a report of service and further mention.

Reacting to the development, a pressure group, Action Collective, commended the judiciary for granting the order.

The group’s coordinator, Dr. Onimisi Ibrahim, said in his reaction that the order would further expose the impunity of some sponsored individuals behind the failed plot to recall Senator Natasha.

Continue Reading

Trending