HEDA Petitions ICPC to Probe Kunle Onabekun Over Alleged Fraud, Impersonation

By Morris Nor// The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), demanding an investigation and possible prosecution of Mr. Kunle Onabekun for allegedly using the names of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and several ministers to defraud members of the public.

In a letter signed by HEDA’s Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju and addressed to ICPC Chairman, Dr. Musa Aliyu (SAN), the civil society organisation stressed that Mr. Onabekun had been previously expelled by the Chartered Institute of Builders (CIOB) in May 2025 for allegedly exploiting the name of the global body to stage an unauthorized exhibition, “CIOB Nigeria Meet 2023,” where he reportedly charged builders thousands of dollars for award recognitions purportedly endorsed by the association.

Meanwhile, HEDA referenced an 18 November 2025 report by the Peoples Gazette, which detailed how Mr. Onabekun established a parallel body under the name “CIOB Nigeria Hub” before his expulsion. The group alleged that under this platform, after his expulsion, he organised a “three-day Economic Impact of the Built Environment Summit” in Abuja earlier in November, charging participants ₦75,000 each while falsely listing President Tinubu, the Minister of Interior, the Minister of Works, the Minister of Environment, and the FCT Minister as attendees.

According to Suraju, Mr. Onabekun’s continuous impersonation and unauthorized use of reputable institutions and individuals to mislead professionals constitutes serious criminal conduct of obtaining by false pretense and misleading public. The organisation noted that the same “deceitful character” that led to his expulsion from CIOB UK was being deployed again to defraud unsuspecting Nigerians.

“HEDA demands a swift, transparent, and decisive investigation into the activities of Mr. Onabekun, including the establishment and operations of CIOB Nigeria Hub,” Suraju added. The group further urged the ICPC to prosecute him if found culpable and take immediate action to prevent further victimization of professionals in the building environment sector.

The organisation affirmed its readiness to support the ICPC with any additional information or evidence required during the investigation.