A Lagos State High Court has issued an arrest warrant for the acting Managing Director of Access Bank, Bolaji Agbede, alongside three other defendants in a case involving the alleged theft of property belonging to Gbolahan Obanikoro, the son of former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro.
PLATFORM TIMES reports that the court’s decision follows the failure of the accused parties to appear for a scheduled hearing.
Justice Ibironke Harrison issued the order on Friday after the defendants, including Balmoral International Limited, DDSS International Company Limited, and Adejare Adegbenro, were accused of conspiring to steal and committing fraud totaling N1.356 billion.
The charges stem from a 2013 incident in which the accused allegedly used property owned by MOB Integrated Services, a company linked to Gbolahan Obanikoro, as security for a loan without the consent of the rightful owner.
The property in question, located at Plot 40b, Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi, was allegedly used by the defendants, including Access Bank, to facilitate a loan to DDSS International Company Limited.
The bank is accused of attempting to steal the property by granting a N1 billion credit facility to the company without proper authorization from the actual owner.
According to the charge sheet signed by the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), (and obtained by PLATFORM TIMES), the defendants face several counts of conspiracy, obtaining by false pretenses, and stealing, under the Criminal Law of Lagos State. Specifically, the charges include:
Count 1: Conspiracy to commit a felony (stealing) in relation to an incident on September 2, 2013, at Plot 1261, Adeola Hopewell Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Count 2: Another conspiracy charge involving the same date and parties, specifically relating to a scheme to steal the property of MOB Integrated Services.
Count 3: Stealing the property of MOB Integrated Services, located at Plot 40b, Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi, by using it as collateral for a loan without the owner’s consent, in violation of Section 280 of the Criminal Law.
Count 4: Attempted stealing, for offering and granting a N1 billion credit facility to DDSS International Company Limited on May 26, 2019, using the disputed property as security without the owner’s consent.
PLATFORM TIMES. gathered that despite the gravity of the charges, the accused failed to appear in court for the hearing, prompting the judge to issue the arrest orders.
The court has adjourned the case until February 24, 2025, for further proceedings.
PLATFORM TIMES further gathered that the involvement of Access Bank and high-profile business figures in the case has attracted significant public attention, particularly given the legal and financial implications of such high-stakes accusations.
It was also gathered that the case will likely remain in the public eye as it progresses, raising questions about corporate governance, financial ethics, and the accountability of influential figures in Nigeria’s banking and business sectors.
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