By Emeka Amaefula
ABUJA COURT ORDERS ARREST OF SEINYE LULU-BRIGGS OVER UNLAWFUL REMOVAL OF SHAREHOLDERS IN OML 114
Seinye Lulu-Briggs, the wife of late High Chief Olu Benson Lulu-Briggs and Chairman of Moni Pulo Nigeria Ltd has been placed on wanted list for arrest by Justice Taiwo Taiwo of Federal High court Abuja over the alleged removal of shareholder’s name in the Moni Pulo Nigeria. Ltd. The Court had on Tuesday 19th of July, 2022 authorized Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the Department of state Service DSS, Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS, Interpol and the Nigerian Police and other security organizations to enforce the arrest of Seinye Lulu-Briggs anywhere they found her within the jurisdiction of the Court or outside which include foreign countries.
This Court was delivered based on an ongoing legal infraction instituted by Economic financial crimes Commission, EFCC in a motion ex-parte brought about by Counsel to EFCC O.O Adeola with an affidavit deposed to by Ufuoma Ezire in support of the motion. It is on record that after hearing the motion which was dated 12th of May, 2022 Justice Taiwo Taiwo granted the reliefs made as the court held that “Upon reading the affidavit in support of the Motion ex-parte deposed to by Ufuoma Ezire, male, adult, Nigerian and official of the EFCC of plot 301/302 Institution and Research District, jabi, Abuja and filed at the Court registry and after hearing O. O Adeola Esq. for the Applicant urging the court to grant the prayers. It is hereby ordered as follows: that an order of this Honourable court is hereby made issuing a warrant of arrest against Mrs. Seinye LULU-BRIGGS.
“That an order of this honourable court is hereby made authorizing and or directing the Economic and financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Nigerian Police, Department of state services, the Nigerian Immigration Services and InterPol to arrest on sight Mrs. Seinye Lulu-Briggs anywhere sighted in Nigeria or outside Nigeria and produce her before this honourable court or to the EFCC’s Headquarters, Abuja.”
Taking a cursory look into the details of the affidavit in support of the motion ex-parte, the deponent who happened to be a staff of the EFCC stated that the commission received three separate petitions written against Mrs. Seinye Lulu-Briggs the defendant as it was dated 20th of January, 2016, and signed by Aliyu Usman, SAN on the 27th of July, 2016 which was signed by one Theo Nwaigbo Esq. and by a letter vide 4th April, 2018 being written on behalf of late Dan Oguguo Obuekwe.
According to the Affidavit signed by Ezire in support of the motion EX-PARTE , “That three petitions were written against the Moni Pulo Ltd and its promoters; Chief Benson Lulu-Briggs and Mrs Seinye Lulu-Briggs. That the first petitioner, chief S.O Ariyo , alleged that chief O.B Lulu-Briggs through his company Moni Pulo Ltd was granted oil prospecting license (OPL) 230 sometime in 1992 for which a signature bonus of $1m US Dollars is required to be paid to the Government.
“That Moni Pulo Ltd approached Trutec Investment Services Co. Ltd through Mr. Dan Obuekwe to act as consultant and source for foreign technical and Financial partners in which Trutec Investment Services Co. Ltd will be allotted 10 percent shares in Moni Pulo Ltd.”
Continuing in his opinion he said that his signature was forged as fewer shares were allotted to him while his name was removed without his consent.
The second petitioner and the third petitioner, Mr. Dan Oguguo Obuekwe, respectively did allege that being one of the beneficiaries of OPL 230 formerly OML 114, that he was cut off by the Lulu-Briggs family.
From the Affidavit it was reported “That Investigation activities Letters were written to the Corporate affairs Commission, the department of Petroleum, Banks and the Federal Inland Revenue Services. That the applicant is yet to receive responses from other banks in which accounts are contained therein the above schedule.
“That the responses received from the investigation activities sent to various institutions and individuals were analysed and investigations revealed. That the Department of Petroleum Resources through Letter dated 8 May, 1992 conveyed the Ministers approval allocating OPL 230 to Nyemono Oil Limited. The Company was later changed to Moni Pulo Limited with the same RC number 183333.
“That the certificate of Incorporation for Moni Pulo Limited furnished by the CAC filed sometime in May 1996 had Chief Olu Benson Lulu-Briggs, Kio Alex Okpukiri, F.A Agama, Godwin Lulu-Briggs and Dan Obuekwe as Directors. The allotted shares were in the ratio of 600,000; 100,000; 1,000 000; 1,000 000; and 100,000 respectfully.
“That Godwin Lulu-Briggs was deceased as at the time he was allotted company shares by Dumo Lulu-Briggs who acted as the Company Secretary. Dumo Lulu-Briggs in his statement could not explain the person who signed as Godwin Lulu-Briggs on the CAC Forms filed by him.
“That there were several changes and distortions made to the list of Directors of Moni Pulo Limited for which no reasonable explanation was given by the operators of the Company. The most recent list furnished by CAC dated 19th February, 2012 has Pastor (Mrs.) Seinye Lulu-Briggs; Solate Ovundah-Akarolo; Rachael Lulu-Briggs; and O.B Lulu-Briggs Foundation as Directors.
“That in all the changes filed with the CAC over time by the operators of Moni Pulo Limited, there was no record showing that Dan Obuekwe had resigned as a Director of the company.
“That a letter received from the CAC dated 28th July, 2021 stated that they could not find any Board resolution/Documentation removing Dan Obuekwe as a Director and shareholder of the company.
“That the current Chairman of Moni Pulo Limited, Mrs. Seinye Lulu-Briggs claimed that Dan Obuekwe did not pay the shares allotted to him and it was on that basis his name was removed as a Director. She did not also show any record that the other Directors paid any money for shares allotted to him. That sometime in 2018, a letter dated 4th April, 2018 was received by the applicant from the Federal Ministry of Justice, signed by the Director, Citizens right Department forwarding a petition by Graylaw Solicitors on behalf of the Administrators of the Estate of dan Obuekwe in respect to his entitlements, dividends, privileges as Directors/shareholder in Moni Pulo Ltd.
“That further investigations reveal that CAC doesn’t have in its record any evidence removing Dan Obuekwe as Director and shareholder of the company.”
The Ear witness reporter upon findings from a 2004 Court settlement Judgement in a case instituted by Moni Pulo Limited; Senibo Lulu-Briggs and Sofiri Lulu-Briggs as plaintiffs against Chief O.B Lulu-Briggs as defendant in suit no. FHC/L/CS/1156/2003 where Justice M.D Belgore on 18th May, 2004 ruled “A declaration that the present shareholding structure of the 1st Plaintiff company is as follows: Chief O.B Lulu-Briggs 52,017, 500; Dumo Lulu-Briggs 122,940,000; Sofiri Lulu-Briggs 102, 255,000; Rachael Lulu-Briggs; 52, 087, 500; Senibo Lulu-Briggs 43, 250,000; Chima Onimim Lulu-Briggs 3, 250, 000; Alhaji Nasir Ado Bayero 4,000,000; Chief F. A Agama (deceased) 100,000 and Godwin Lulu-Briggs 100,000.
Currently Mrs. Seinye Lulu-Briggs being declared wanted by the Justice Taiwo Taiwo Abuja judicial division of Federal high Court of Nigeria compounds her several court cases relating to possession of the estates of her late husband and the contested WILL that he left behind before his death.
——-Emeka Amaefula —+234(0)8111813069