Operatives the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday, arrested the founder and Chairman of Nigeria’s automobile company, Innoson Motors, Innocent Chukwuma, in his residence in Enugu.
In a series of tweets on Tuesday, the company said its CEO was arrested at his Enugu residence without prior invitation and accused Nigeria’s new generation bank, Guaranty Trust Bank of being behind the arrest, an allegation the bank denied.
“GTB vs Innoson ‘illegal Arrest’ Hundreds of factory workers from Innoson factory Emene Enugu protests the illegal bundling of Innoson to Lagos by EFCC organised by GTB,” the company said.
:Like a commando style, GTB uses EFFC to storm Innoson Enugu Residential Home to bundle him to Lagos like a common criminal without any prior invitation.
“Armed policemen firing live bullets and gunshots inside Innoson residence. Tens of factory workers critically wounded.
“Hundreds of factory workers from Innoson factory Emene Enugu protests the illegal bundling of Innoson to Lagos by EFCC organised by GTB.”
Innoson Group had accused GTBank of being indebted to the indigenous auto manufacturing company up to N8.5 billion in a series of damages that stemmed from illegal service deductions by the bank.
An initial fraud case brought against Mr. Chukwuma was withdrawn earlier this year but the Attorney-General, Abubakar Malami, revived the case at the Federal High Court in Abuja as GTBank maintains its allegations that Mr. Chukwuma manipulated bank and shipping documents to obtain tax waivers from the Nigerian government.
The EFCC in two tweets confirmed Chukwuma’s arrest and gave reasons.
“EFCC today arrested Innocent Chukwuma, popularly known by his company’s name, INNOSON, following his refusal to honour invitation by the Commission having earlier jumped an administrative bail granted him. #Fraud
“Innocent Chukwuma is being investigated by EFCC’s Capital Market & Insurance Fraud Unit. Rather than honor the invitation he mobilized six truck loads of thugs posing as staff of his company to his residence where they manhandled operatives. He’s being grilled by investigators.”