Adeolu Adeboye, son of Redeemed Christian Church of God’s General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has allegedly abandoned a ₦17.26 billion road project after collecting over ₦8 billion from the Kaduna State government as part of the contract sum for the project.
According to SaharaReporters, he was said to have abandoned the ₦17.26 billion road construction project after 30 per cent completion.
According to the report, Adeolu and his wife had secured the contract for the the Wusasa to Danmagaji Nagoyi Road project, using Ronchess Global Resources Plc, during the former Governor Nasir el-Rufai administration.
The SaharaReporters further stated in the report that Adeolu and his wife have been allegedly evading accountability for the diverted funds and unfinished project.
Rather, the popular cleric’s son filed a suit (FHC/L/CS/1206/24) at the Federal High Court in Lagos, in the wake of a probe by the Kaduna State government and the state House of Assembly into the alleged fraud.
As reported by SaharaReporters, Adeolu is seeking an injunction restraining the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Kaduna State government, and the state legislature from arresting or detaining him over the abandoned ₦17.26 billion project.
The EFCC, Inspector General of Police, Assistant Inspector General of Police, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Kaduna State government and Kaduna State House of Assembly are the 1st to 6th respondents, respectively, the report stated.
The report noted that a Kaduna State House of Assembly team inspected the Wusasa to Danmagaji Nagoyi Road project site (Kaduna North Local Government Area) on May 16, 2024. It found the site abandoned by Ronchess Global Resources Plc, owned by Adeolu Adeboye.
It noted the project is an 8km road in Zaria, adding that, though ₦8.195,014,236.95 had been paid for the project, the job was only 30 per cent completed before Pastor Adeboye’s son allegedly abandoned it.
The report also disclosed that the initial contract sum is ₦8.74 billion, but was revised to the sum of ₦17.26 billion on 6 December, 2022.
To evade possible arrest and questioning, Adeolu reportedly filed a Suit No: KDH/KAD/594/2024: Ronchess Global Resources Plc v. Kaduna State government, Kaduna State House of Assembly in the court.
He was said to had sought the interim order, pending the hearing and final determination of his Motion on Notice for interlocutory injunction filed herein.
Justice K.O. Ogundare of the Federal High Court, Lagos was said to have subsequently granted an interim order “to the Applicant (Adeolu) directing the parties herein, whether by themselves, their agents, officers, servants or otherwise howsoever to 4th Applicant and the threat of his arrest and detention by the 1st – 4th Respondents, the subject matter of this suit, pending the hearing and final determination of the Applicant’s Motion on Notice for interlocutory injunction filed herein.
The court also granted the following: “That an Interim Order is hereby granted to the Applicant restraining the Respondents from taking any or further steps in relation to the subject matter of this fundamental right action and issues canvassed therein, pending the hearing and final determination of the Applicant’s Motion on Notice for interlocutory injunction filed herein.
“That the Applicant shall file an undertaking as to damages within seven (7) days.
“That this Order and the Motion on Notice shall be served on the Respondents within seven (7) days.
“That this case is adjourned to 20/9/2024, for hearing of the Motion on Notice.”
However, EFCC filed a counter-affidavit on August 14, 2024 at the Federal High Court Registry, Ikoyi. The counter-affidavit was sworn to Mohammed Arabo, by a staff member of the anti-corruption agency.
EFCC stated that, after a critical analysis of the petition and interaction with the principal officers of the 6th Respondent, it “found evidence of fraud and criminal diversion of public funds against the Applicant (Adeolu Adeboye) and 26 other contractors.”
Arabo identified himself as a member of the team set up by 1st Respondent (EFCC) to investigate the petition.
He further deposed that the “Applicant’s company, Ronchess Global Resources Plc abandoned the jobs even though the level of completion is 30 per cent.”
Arabo confirmed that the “Applicant’s company, Ronchess Global Resources Plc, has collected a sum of ₦8,185,014,328.95 (Eight Billion, One Hundred and Eighty Five Million, Fourteen Thousand, Three Hundred and Twenty Eight Naira, Ninety Five Kobo), even though the level of completion of the jobs is only 30 per cent”.
He stated: “In line with the practice of the 1st Respondent (EFCC), we sent invitation letters to the aforementioned contractors, including the Applicant, to enable them to react to the allegations made against them by the 6th Respondent.
“The 1st Respondent invited 35 contractors indicted by the 6th Respondent. 16 contractors reported and made statements to the 1st Respondent’s team, while nine others have requested to report at a later day.
“The Applicant is one of the 10 other contractors that rushed to this Honourable Court for judicial cover from investigation.”
The lawyers representing the EFCC are Femi Falana SAN, Mrs Funmi Falana SAN, and Chukwuma Onwuemene Esq., all of Falana & Falana’s Chambers.
Lawyers for Adeolu are Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa SAN, Adedoyin Adesoji Esq., Oluwatosin Adesioye Esq., Omia Ejewentotor Esq., Ayorinde Ogundeji Esq., Emmanuel Omohavwa Esq., Percious Chukwu Esq., and Hannah Ayanwale Esq., all of Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa SAN & Company.
Falana SAN, in the 1st respondent’s (EFCC) written address, lamented the tendency and temptation to “misuse the Fundamental Right (Enforcement Procedure) Rules randomly by the desire of legal practitioners to elevate the profile of their claim and sentimentally try to pressure up the court to have an early audience have always manifested in our courts.”
One of the issues for determination was whether the High Court has the jurisdiction to hear and determine the Applicant’s case when the allegations of breach of fundamental rights do not constitute the principal claims.
Falana SAN argued that the question to be “resolved is whether the Applicant’s [Adeolu] claim falls within the type that is enforceable as an infraction of fundamental right.”
The EFCC’s counsel further argued: “The position of the Law is that, for a claim to qualify as falling under fundamental rights, it must be clear that the principal relief sought is for the enforcement or for securing the enforcement of a fundamental right and not, from the nature of the claim, to redress a grievance that is ancillary to the principal relief which itself is not, ipso facto, a claim for the enforcement of fundamental right.”
Falana noted that: “Significantly, the claim of any breach is not like a magic wand which can be waved in the face of every claim and turn on the engine of enforcement of a right that may not be constitutional.”
