Former Super Eagles’ captain, Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha is allegedly dodging a chat with operatives of Economic & Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over a petition written against him, as the ex-football star is said to have ignored several invitations extended to him by the agency, megasportsarena.com reports.
It was learnt that ‘Jay Jay’ has snubbed all overtures by the graft agency for talks over the said petition against him, as the former Eintracht Frankfurt of Germany, Fernebahce of Turkey, Paris-Saint Germaine of France and Bolton Wanderers of England star has not responded in any way or form to several reminders about the pending issue between him and his estranged mentor.
Details of the development were provided in a letter signed by one Chinedu Kujah, on behalf of Okocha’s former mentor and business partner, Friday Nwankwo-Kujah, who has repeatedly alleged that the Nigerian soccer icon and his wife, Nkechi, have illegally taken over a bureau de change they jointly-owned with varying number of shares.
The Nigerian media has in recent days been replete with reports about an alleged forgery case hanging over Okocha’s head with the EFCC, in which he and his wife were accused of pushing aside Kujah and other shareholders from the said business venture, whose corporate offices used to be based in Apongbon area of Lagos Island.
This also marks a climax in several issues that first erupted nine years ago between Okocha and Nwankwo-Kujah (aka Soccer Ambassador), when the football legend, who also played at a point for Hull City of England before hanging his boots and then went on to become chairman of Delta State Football Association, was accused of failing to pay dividends to share holders.
At that point in time, a hospitality lounge based in Victoria Island, Lagos – Club 10 – had also been included among the line of business ventures Okocha had been accused of cornering for himself and ostensibly pushed aside those with whom he jointly founded the structures that have now become matters of litigation.
A number of Nigerian sports personalities and police officers waded into the matter back then, but they all failed in several attempts to broker peace between Okocha and Kujah, who played a very key role during the ex-player’s wedding that held at Saint Lumumba Catholic Church, in Lawanson area of Lagos, which was where the now estranged mentor used to worship.
The close affinity between Okocha and Kujah led to the mentor also getting close relations with other Super Eagles’ players, especially Nwankwo Kanu (Papilo) and Daniel ‘The Bull’ Amokachi, while he went on to become a successful players’ representative.
As a players’ agent, Kujah was able to seal deals for a number of national team stars, among who were Apam Onyekachi, Kalu Uche, Emmanuel Emenike, Victor Obinna Nsofor and Elderson Uwa Echiejile, and he became vastly popular as ‘Soccer Ambassador’ because of his relations with several of Nigeria’s top football icons.
It had also been speculated at a point that Okocha even got to meet his wife, Nkechi, through Kujah’s links, such that it was with aghast reactions, sagged necks, shaking heads and mouth agape that many followers of Nigerian football received news of the falling out between both personalities ten years ago, only for the matter to drag on and now take a new dimension.
The latest dimension to the ugly diatribe between Okocha and Kujah erupted last week, when reports emerged that the former player is entwined in allegations of forgery and fraud, which the news bulletins revealed has caught the attention of EFCC.
However, when it appeared as if fire and fury were eventually fading away over the contentious matter, the issue got to a head on Thursday when a very long letter emerged in the private mails of some media personalities through the box of ‘Chinedu Kujah,’ with several gory details and startling accusations lined out against the Atlanta ’96 Olympic Games gold medalist.
Although the letter was signed by ‘Chinedu,’ its contents conveyed details of the misgivings held by Friday Nwankwo-Kujah against Okocha, major of which was an allegation that the ex-player has refused to honour several invitations from the EFCC, urging him to step forward and answer questions over the petition written against him regarding the shared business gone awry.
Kujah averred in his letter: “I have been sending emails and reminders severally for 3 years now without no reply requesting for the update on my matter in the Foreign Exchange malpractice department EFCC Abuja which the name of the IPO in charge of my case is Mr YAKUBU RUGGA.
“This is a case of FORGERY AND FRAUDULENT CONVERSION OF SHARE PERPETRATED BY JAYJAY OKOCHA AND HIS WIFE NKECHI OKOCHA and the petitioners are I Mr FRIDAY KUJAH and my wife Mrs IJEOMA KUJAH.
“This case has been in the foreign exchange malpractice department in EFCC since 2016. I and my wife have traveled severally to the EFCC office Abuja from Lagos and we have submitted all the documents concerning this case and documents requested by the IPO.
“The IPO told me the EFCC has written severally to Jayjay okocha and his wife and also called them severally on phone and when the EFCC call them on phone, they pick and when the IPO start telling them about the invitation they immediately hang up the call. This is what has been going on for some years and month and they have all refused to honor the EFCC invitation.
“I am so surprised at the attitude of Jayjay and his wife a d I want to know if they are bigger than the politicians, CEOs and other government officials that are usually summoned by a reputable security agency like the EFCC.
“The IPO also told me the EFCC Abuja have sent a signal to EFCC Lagos to arrest Jayjay and his wife since he refused to honor the EFCC invitation but they could’t find Jayjay or his wife in their house. This is the only information I have so far.
“I told the IPO that from my findings Jayjay now lives in Banana Island now and where the EFCC went to was Ikeja. I provided all their phone numbers to the IPO including the phone number of the general manager of our company Mrs Biodun who aided in perpetrating the fraud.
“Please see to all the various links below containing my petition and the narration of the case and all the documents concerning the case which copies are with the foreign exchange malpractice department.
“This are the links and their titles: (1) Full Details and Share Holders of JayJay Okocha bureau de change. Forwarded to the acting Chairman Efcc head office Abuja. https://thenationngnews.blogspot.com/2019/12/full-details-and-share-holders-of_19.html
“(2) Financial Crimes, Forged Shares Transfer Forms/fraudulent Conversion, Spurious Board Resolution Letter, Initiated and Perpetrated by Austin Jay Jay Okocha and his wife Mrs Nkechi Julia Okocha as the chairman and Managing Directors/CEO Respectively of JayJay Okocha Bureau De Change Ltd. https://thenationngnews.blogspot.com/2020/02/financial-crimes-forged-shares-transfer.html
“(3) Some of my contributions in Nigeria Football & The Original Certificate Of Incorporation and CAC documents of JayJay Okocha Bureau de change and the Fraudulently Changed CAC Documents of JayJay Okocha bureau de change Limited. https://thenationngnews.blogspot.com/2020/02/some-of-my-contributions-in-nigeria.html
“(4) Full Details and Share Holders of JayJay Okocha bureau de change Forwarded to the acting Chairman Efcc head office Abuja. https://thenationngnews.blogspot.com/2019/12/full-details-and-share-holders-of_19.html
“(5) Forgery and Fraudulent Conversion of Company and Properties Of JayJay Okocha Bureau De Change Limited by JayJay Okocha and his Wife. https://thenationngnews.blogspot.com/2020/02/forgery-and-fraudulent-conversion-of_2.html. (6) My contributions and investments into our JayJay Okocha Bureau de change company. https://thenationngnews.blogspot.com/2020/02/my-contributions-and-investments-into.html
“(7) Full Details on the Registration of our JayJay Okocha Bureau de Change Limited. https://thenationngnews.blogspot.com/2019/12/full-details-on-registration-of-our.html , https://allnews.ng/news/jay-jay-okocha-wife-cac-accused-of-defrauding-bdc-business-partners , http://opr.news/6f49d99e200929en_ng?client=news May almighty God guide and protect us all and make our dreams come.”
