Alleged Investment Scam: How I Lost over N500m to Couple, Accomplice -Witness

The trial of the Chief Executive Officer of Onome Global Market Resources Limited and Lexicon Multi-concept Media Limited, Osabohein Alex Ologbose and his wife, Hope Onome Oghelemu, continued on Thursday, September 24, 2026, before Justice Ekerete Akpan of the Federal High Court, Abuja, with the third Prosecution Witness, PW3, Ikechukwu Chikelum, narrating how the couple and their accomplice, Alice Ayeni, allegedly lured him into investing over N500 million in the companies and neither regained his capital and got no return on investment.

The defendants, alongside their two companies, Onome Global Market Resources Limited and Lexicon Multi-concept Media Limited are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a seven-count charge, bordering on obtaining by false pretence, conversion of funds and money laundering to the tune of N740 million (Seven Hundred and Forty Million Naira), contrary to Section 18(2)(b) of the Money Laundering Prevention and Prohibition Act 2022 and punished under Section 18(4) of the same Act.

The PW3 told the court that he was introduced to the investment by his friend, Modestus Uche Okafor, who subsequently took him to Ayeni, a director of Onome Global Market Resources Limited.

Led in examination-in-chief by prosecution counsel, O.S. Ujam, the witness, a businessman, narrated that he became interested in investing in the companies in June 2023 after his friend told him about the couple’s profitable business of exporting “bitter kola” to China and Hong Kong.

He said Ayeni, whom he Nigerian Export-Import, NEXIM Bank, explained the investment to him and showed him the profile of Onome Global Market Resources Limited.

According to him, the profile contained the name and photograph of the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Onome, as well as the company’s Corporate Affairs Commission certificate, EFCC’s Special Control Unit against Money Laundering certificate and export promotion certificates. The documents, he said, convinced him that the business was genuine and prompted him to initially invest in the export of 100 bags of “bitter kola.”

He told the court that each bag cost N310,000 (Three Hundred and Ten Thousand Naira), adding that he transferred N31million from his Ecobank account to an account belonging to Ayobola Anike Ventures, provided by Ayeni for the 100 bags.

According to the witness, “Modestus and I met Madam Alice Ayeni at NEXIM Bank. She explained the investment to me and gave me a profile of the company, Onome Global Market Resources Limited, which they use in exporting ‘bitter kola’ to China and Hong Kong. When I opened the profile, I saw the Chief Executive Officer as Onome Alex. I also saw the CEO’s husband’s picture there, Alex.

“I also noticed that Ayeni is one of the directors of Onome Global Market Resources Limited. I saw the Corporate Affairs Commission certificate, the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering certificate from the EFCC, and the Export Promotion Council certificate. I was convinced that it was a genuine business to invest in.

The witness also disclosed that he subsequently transferred another N62 million for 200 bags of ‘bitter kola’ after Ayeni allegedly informed him that he could invest more and further transferred N267,220,000 (Two Hundred and Sixty-Seven Million, Two Hundred and Twenty Thousand Naira) for 862 bags of ‘bitter kola’ for export to China, followed by another N220,150,000 (Two Hundred and Twenty Million, One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) for 710 bags for export to Hong Kong. And also transferred N20,400,000 (Twenty Million, Four Hundred Thousand Naira) for 60 bags of red ‘kolanut’ intended for export to Indonesia. The witness said all the payment receipts were forwarded to Ayeni via WhatsApp and were acknowledged by her.