IGP summons Cletus Ibeto over demolition of property owned by Oil Company

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Idris Ibrahim, has invited an Anambra State-based business­man, Chief Cletus Ibeto, over his alleged involvement in the demo­lition of a N200 million property owned by the Group Chairman of Bontus Oil and Gas Company, Chief Bonaventure Uche Okafor.

A source in the IGP’s of­fice said  that “Ibeto was summoned on Friday but he was said to have travelled hence he was mandated to hon­our the IGP’s invitation without further delay.”

But in statement made avail­able by Mr. Philip Ogbonna on behalf of Bontus Oil and Gas, he alleged that Ibeto trespassed on the said property.

At press time, Ibeto did not respond to any of the issues raised when contacted.

Even enquiries sent by the correspondent to his Whatsapp and text message sent to his mo­bile phones were not respond­ed to.

But clips produced by the Bontus Oil and Gas showed that Ibeto’s fleet were inside the com­pound being demolished.

Ogbonna’s press statement read in part: “The Chairman of Ibeto Group of Companies, Chief Cletus Ibeto is in a tres­pass mess now at a property lo­cated at Obosi in Anambra State.

“The property in question was the property of Amazu Mo­tors Nigeria Ltd located at Kilo­metre 6, Onitsha/Owerri Road Obosi, Anambra State. The busi­nessman, who is respected wide­ly, was said to have recruited some policemen and thugs and arrested people inside the prop­erty on Thursday, 30th March, 2017, destroying properties of the new landlord of the premis­es, Bontus Oil and Gas thereby meddling in an affair that does not concern him in anyway.

“The destruction of the prop­erties of Bontus Oil and Gas in the said premises continued Sun­day, 2nd April, 2017 by the Ocha­ha thugs hired to do the dirty job. An eyewitness who saw what happened on Sunday morning at Km 6 Obosi Road, said that the thugs pulled the wall behind the premises down thereby ren­dering the premises vulnerable to insecurity.

“Our investigations revealed that Amazu Oil Ltd, the former owners of the property alienat­ed the petrol station within the larger property to Bontus Oil and Gas sometime in July 2016. The widow of the late Chairman of Amazu Motors, Monica Ama­zu, her daughter and fifth son were involved in executing the legal documents of the proper­ty to the new purchaser.”

The source went on that im­mediately after the transaction, Bontus Oil and Gas went to take possession of the property but was stopped because the Iweno­fu family of Obosi, who were the original owners were not hap­py. Through their agent, Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka, they made their feelings known. Following this development, Bontus Oil and Gas referred to Mrs. Nkei­ru Okezie who holds the power of attorney and who is the first daughter of the late Chairman of Amazu Motors and who was in­volved in the deal to intimate her about the development and the need to reimburse him the mon­ey he paid for the property.

The Iwenofu family in­formed Bontus Oil that there is a pending suit in court between the family and Amazu Motors and for that reason Bontus Oil and Gas will not be allowed to take possession.

At this stage, counsel to the Director of Amazu Motors, Obi­ora Chandals & Co, wrote Bon­tus to make proper inquiries and search over the property in question. Bontus Oil conduct­ed a thorough search at Corpo­rate Affairs Commission (CAC), Abuja to ascertain the status of the property and discovered that Amaz Oil was a meddlesome in­terloper in the property, that the document of the property is in the name of Amazu Motors. Consequently, Iwenofu family and Amazu Motors settled out of court on the matter.