KEHINDE AKINTOLA
Chief Gilbert Bravo Obi, Chairman, Board of Trustees of Importers Association of Nigeria (IMAN), on Wednesday confirmed the appointment of Ambassador Chijioke Okoro as the acting Director-General (Special Task Force) of the Association.
The National Taskforce is an arm of IMAN charged with the responsibility to combat illegal importation, smuggling of goods, small arms, ammunition and light weapons across the country.
Obi’s position came on the heels of recent controversy on the authenticity of Emmanuel Osita Okereke’s claim as the Director General of IMAN’s Taskforce.
According to him, Okereke is currently being investigated by the Nigeria Police over alleged impersonation, forgery and other criminal offences.
The BOT chairman who spoke at a press briefing held in Abuja, explained that Okereke who was former Director General of IMAN, Special Taskforce, formally ceased to function in that capacity in 2015.
He affirmed that the sack of Okereke was sequel to his alleged declaration of false Affidavit in Court through which he claimed that the IMAN Certificate of Incorporation was lost to armed robbers and subsequently deceived the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), into issuing him another.
“Okereke who is presently under police investigation over alleged impersonation and forgery besides other criminal offences is not the DG IMAN, Special Taskforce.
“He was suspended and sacked in 2015 by the IMAN, Board of Trustees (BOT).
“He fraudulently declared our certificate of incorporation lost and deceived the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, with a court affidavit that deceived them into believing him and, in effect, issued him with another certificate of incorporation.
“We formed IMAN in 2007, but when Okereke was appointed DG, Special Taskforce, he soon after started to be funny and tried to appropriate IMAN as a private business.
“As a result, we sacked him because he was spoiling the name of IMAN. He was playing tricks and collecting huge sums of money from different states across the country.
“IMAN’s original certificate of incorporation is still in my possession as I speak. I single handedly financed IMAN for many years ago.
“Ambassador Chijioke Okoro is now the acting DG, IMAN (Special Taskforce). He was Deputy Director-General under the leadership of Philemon Leha as Director-General. Leha was a retired Police DIG.
“Okoro’s new position became necessary because Leha is involved in politics and, hardly finds time to carry out IMAN activities.
He maintained that: “Okereke ceased to function as IMAN (Special Taskforce) Director-General on the verdict of the Appeal Court in Abuja.
“The Appeal Court quashed the judgment of the Abuja High court, sitting in Jabi that delivered judgment in favour of Okereke.
“Anybody saying something in the contrary is either economical with the truth or ignorant of the present development in this circumstance,” he explained.
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