Ify Bosco,Famous Ilorin Based Business Mogul Faces Murder Attempt Trial
The CEO/Chairman of Ify Bosco Nigeria Limited, Ilorin, Mr. Ifeanyi Boniface Okoli, will on Monday appear at an Ilorin High Court to answer charges of criminal intimidation, cheating, harassment and threat to life preferred against him by one of his former apprentice, Mr. Ibeh Chinedu Felix. SECURITY MONITOR’s Contributing Editor Rowland Shuwa reports from Ilorin, Kwara state
Investigations by this medium reveal that Mr. Felix had on November 8, 2010, entered into an agreement to serve Mr. Okoli for 5 years after which he would be discharged with entitlement in order to start his own business but after the expiration of the term of agreement Mr. Okoli refused to honour the agreement.
Rather that honour the gentleman agreement, Mr. Okoli resorted to intimidation. He cooked up various allegations against Mr. Felix and went to report him at the Police Headquarters, State Security Service (SSS) and Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC).
Further investigations by our correspondent reveal that when the security agencies invited Mr. Felix they were able to detect the truth and made efforts to settle the dispute to no avail.
In a letter written by Olushola Abifarin & Co., Solicitors to Mr. Felix, and dated May 23, 2016, Mr. Felix was said to have, within the five years of his service, “made an estimated profit of over fifty-one million naira (N51,000,000:00) to the company inclusive of the opening stock with goods still worth over five million (N5,000,000:00) in stock.”
The Solicitor thereafter urged Mr. Okoli to within 7 days of receipt of the letter to settle and release Mr. Felix and also abate harassment and threat to his life.
Efforts to get Mr. Felix to comment on the issue proved abortive but a close associate of his who spoke on condition of anonymity stated that, “Oga Bosco is just being stubborn, he believes that with his money he is untouchable. Chinedu has tried to settle this matter amicably without Oga Bosco is too arrogant.”
According to our informant, Mr. Felix had contacted the Igbo community in Ilorin, the church and chiefs of the Emir of Ilorin to intervene without success as Mr. Okoli is said to have boastfully stated that it is an Igbo tradition to keep appreciates enslaved even after service.”
When contacted, Okoli noted that Felix Ibeh is still his apprentice and that he absconded because of his criminal act.” Felix is still my sales boy. He embezzles my money and ran away but I don’t have his time. All his family members have instructed him to give comprehensive account of the shop he managed for five years to me but he failed. He sold goods on credit and never remit the money. He collected money from customers and failed to deliver their goods. Peter Ibeh, his elder brother and other members of his family told him to reconcile with me but he refused. None of his family members is supporting his legal action against me.Not even his guarantor who is of the same parent with him. The issue before I give him anything he must present audited account of the shop he managed for five years. After that all other things will follow”, Okoli affirmed.