Fidelity Bank’s MD, Okonkwo Linked With Alleged ‘Disappearance’ Of N7b From Bank; As World Humanity Commission Invokes FoI

Nnamdi Okonkwo

The Managing Director/CEO of Fidelity Bank Plc, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo has been fingered in alleged disappearance of a whopping sum of N7billion naira from the bank into account of a fictitious company  reportedly linked to him.

This was contained in a Freedom of Information Request’s document addressed to the Chairman, Board of Directors of the bank, copied Under-Secretary General, Minister of Foreign Affairs, United Nations; European Union; Global Security Council; International Police Commission; EFCC; exclusively obtained by BigPen Online on Wednesday.

According to the document, the office of the High Commissioner, Department of Foreign Affairs, World Humanity Commission, is asking Fidelity Bank to avail it with all relevant information about the allegations in accordance with Sections 1 and 2 of the Freedom of Information Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

Among other reasons, the document signed by Amb. Sunshine Jonah, Chief of Staff –Diplomatic Mission to Africa, said that the concern of Department of Foreign Affairs, World Humanity Commission, have been drawn to the aforementioned issue, thus the invocation of the FoI to enable her investigate the matter.

The commission is asking for information on “the alleged disappearance of the sum of N7 Billion from your bank as a result of an approval of a Letter of Credit in favour of a fictitious company of which it is alleged that the Managing Director/CEO –Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo, has substantial links”.

It also demands information on “the alleged plan by your Bank to downsize staff strength by terminating the appointment of about 1,000 staff before December 31, 2017, adding that it want to know why some staff of the bank who have been on suspension without pay for over a period of 12 months, are still coming to work and rendering full daily services to the Bank.

It also demand to know the bank’s compliance with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s directive to pay staff gratuity in full before July 31, 2017.

The commission urged the bank to make a documentary details of the queries available within 7days, the petition read, urging the bank to also send;

“Details of business transactions vis a vis Loan and Letter of Credit approvals of your Head Office between January 31, 2017 till July 31, 2017.

“List of staff currently on suspension for more than a period of 6 months stating their Designation, Rank, Branch, and Reason for Suspension and Date of Suspension.

“Schedule of Full Payment for staff gratuity.

“List of staff whose appointments were terminated from January 31, 2014 till July 31, 2017 stating their
Designation, Rank, Branch, and Reason for Termination of Appointment and Date of Termination of Appointment.

“A copy of the Substantive Rules and Conditions of Employment of staff in your Bank”.

The commission however said that failure to make the information available within 7days from the date in the email sent to the bank, could prompt the agency to commence legal proceedings under the Act in a Court of competent jurisdiction.

BigPen Online recalls that Fidelity Bank’s Managing Director/CEO Nnamdi Okonkwo, was sometime ago in 2016 detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes  Commission (EFCC), over some alleged fraudulent activities carried out by the bank which were also linked to him.

Okonkwo was with the anti-graft agency on the allegation that the bank received about $115million from the former Petroleum Resources Minister, Mrs. Diezani Alison- Madueke, but failed to report it to the  Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, NFIU, of the Commission, a lodgement which the bank however said then was reported to the regulatory authority.

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