RismadarVoice Reporters
September 25, 2026
A prosecution witness, Ikechukwu Chikelum, has told the Federal High Court in Abuja how he allegedly invested more than ₦500 million in a purported agricultural export business and has yet to recover his capital or receive any return on the investment.
Chikelum testified before Justice Ekerete Akpan in the ongoing trial of Osabohein Alex Ologbose, Hope Onome Oghelemu and their alleged accomplice, Alice Ayeni.
The defendants, alongside Onome Global Market Resources Limited and Lexicon Multi-concept Media Limited, face seven counts of alleged obtaining by false pretence, conversion of funds, and money laundering amounting to ₦740 million.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, brought the charges.
Testifying as the third prosecution witness, Chikelum said he was introduced to the investment opportunity by his friend, Modestus Uche Okafor, in June 2023.
According to the businessman, he was told that the investment involved exporting bitter kola to China and Hong Kong.
Chikelum said Okafor introduced him to Ayeni, whom he identified as a director of Onome Global Market Resources Limited.
He told the court that during a meeting at the Nigerian Export-Import Bank, NEXIM Bank, Ayeni explained the investment and presented him with a company profile.
According to him, the documents included a Corporate Affairs Commission certificate, a Special Control Unit against Money Laundering certificate and export promotion documents.
Chikelum said the documents convinced him that the business was genuine and prompted his initial investment of ₦31 million for 100 bags of bitter kola at ₦310,000 per bag.
He said the money was transferred from his Ecobank account to an account belonging to Ayobola Anike Ventures, which he alleged was provided by Ayeni.
The witness told the court that he subsequently made several additional investments.
He said he transferred ₦62 million for 200 bags of bitter kola, followed by ₦267.22 million for 862 bags intended for export to China.
According to him, he later transferred another ₦220.15 million for 710 bags of bitter kola purportedly meant for export to Hong Kong.
Chikelum said he also paid ₦20.4 million for 60 bags of red kolanuts intended for export to Indonesia.
He testified that receipts for the transactions were forwarded to Ayeni through WhatsApp and allegedly acknowledged by her.
WITNESS RECOUNTS EFFORTS TO RECOVER FUNDS
Chikelum told the court that after waiting about eight weeks without receiving the expected return on investment, he and Okafor visited Ayeni to seek an explanation.
According to his testimony, Ayeni later took them to meet Onome, where they were allegedly assured that payment would be made within two weeks.
He said the promised payment did not materialise and that a WhatsApp group was subsequently created to communicate with investors.
The witness also recalled a meeting at Living Faith Church in Lokogoma, Abuja, attended by some of the defendants, investors and three pastors.
Chikelum alleged that during the meeting, the delay was attributed to problems involving the shipment of the bitter kola, while investors were asked to wait another two weeks.
He said that after another month passed without payment, he and some other investors engaged a lawyer and submitted evidence of their transactions.
A petition was subsequently submitted to the EFCC, he told the court.
“Till date, I have not received my capital or return from the investment from the defendants,” Chikelum testified.
During cross-examination by defence counsel Femi Peter Joseph, the witness maintained that his total investment involving Ayobola Anike Ventures and Alice Alade Ayeni exceeded ₦500 million.
The allegations remain before the court and have not been finally determined.
Justice Akpan adjourned the case until November 3, 2026, for continuation of cross-examination.
