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Economy

Alleged N3.7bn Fraud: Court Fixes July 21 for UK Dion’s Trial

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UK Dion Investment Michael Ukiye Diongoli

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

Friday, July 21, 2023, has been fixed for the commencement of the trial of Mr Michael Ukiye Diongoli and his two companies, UK Dion Group and UK Dion Investment Limited.

The date was fixed by Justice Ambrose Lewis Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Court 3, Ikoyi Lagos after they were arraigned on a 61-count charge of defrauding unsuspecting investors to the tune of over N3.7 billion.

The defendants were accused of conspiring to obtain money from several individuals and organisations, including Dr Basil Onugu, Prof. Oyekachi Green Nwankwo, FSL Securities Ltd, Catholic Charismatic Renewal, MTN Employer Cooperative, Mr Chukwu Tengu, and the Nigerian Army Welfare Insurance Scheme, among others.

They were said to have committed this alleged crime between 2021 and 2022 after pretending to be a registered financial institution involved in wealth management.

They allegedly invited customers to pay money into their accounts and fix it for a period ranging from six months to one year with interest.

“That you, Micheal Ukiye Diongoli, Dion Investment Limited and others at large between March 2021 and May 2022 in Lagos, Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria with intent to defraud fraudulently obtained several sums of money to UK Dion under the pretence that you are a registered financial institution, and you are into wealth management wherein customers were invited to pay money into your account, fix it for a period ranging from 6 months to one year and the customer will get the money invested with interest, a statement the victims believed, which you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) of the Advanced Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related to Offenses Act, 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act,” one of the charges read.

When the charges were read to them, one of the defendants, Mr Diongoli, pleaded not guilty to all.

The suspects are also facing a criminal summons by Justice Zainab Abubakar of the Federal High Court in Abuja on charges of operating without the licence of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

In the two-count charge brought against Mr Diongoli, UK Dion Group And UK Dion Investment Limited, all of No. 21 Buhari Street, Peace Court Estate, Lokogoma, Abuja, they are alleged to have on or between the year 2021 and 2022 within the jurisdiction of the court did commit a felony to wit: conspired among themselves together with their staff to make an illegal act – diversion of investment funds to the tune of over N3.6billion belonging to the investing public which includes Basil Onugu, Elizabeth Umenwa Nwankwo, Adetoun Sokoni, Ezeogu Victoria Ndozi and others you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of Criminal Code Act, laws of the Federation, 2004.

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Economy

Secure Electronic Technology Seeks Approval to Merge Every Four Shares Into One

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Secure Electronic Technology

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

Secure Electronic Technology (SET) Plc is planning to reconstruct its shares at the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited by merging four stocks into one.

However, this exercise is subject to the approval of shareholders of the company and the board is proposing an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) to be held on or before April 17, 2025.

Business Post reports that the decision to reconstruct the shares of the organisation was reached at the board meeting of the firm on Friday, MArch 7, 2025.

In a notice to the stock exchange, SET Plc said it was agreed that the proposed share reconstruction and recapitalisation of the company shall be by way of one or a combination of the following; an offer for subscription, rights offering or private placement, upon terms agreed by both parties under the definitive agreement.

It further said, “The issued and share capital of the company be reduced from N2,815,770,000, represented by 1,407,885,000 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each, subject to the approval of the Federal High Court, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and relevant regulatory authorities.”

“This restructuring share result in the cancellation of 4,223,655,000 units of shares and the portion of the share capital cancelled, being valued at N2,111,827,500 be transferred to a special reconstruction reserve,” it noted.

The disclosure also said, “There shall be a proportional upward adjustment in the share price of SET on the NGX to be reflected after the conversion, so that the value of one converted share shall be equal to the market price of four pre-reconstruction shares, and at the end of the reconstruction, SET market capitalisation and each shareholder’s percentage holding shall remain unchanged.”

The company emphasised that it would “consolidate its issued shares at a basis of 1 for 4 ratio, meaning every four shares of SET Plc currently held by a shareholder shall be converted to one share and shareholdings that result in fractional shares post-reconstruction shall be rounded up to the nearest whole number.”

It was disclosed that this exercise was suggested by Gamma Civic Limited, a part of Gamma Group, a company listed on the Mauritius Stock Exchange and represented by Cruzan Investment Limited, a company incorporated in Nigerian under the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2020.

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Economy

FrieslandCampina Wamco Weakens NASD OTC Exchange by 0.06%

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FrieslandCampina WAMCO

By Adedapo Adesanya

FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc brought down the NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange by 0.06 per cent on Wednesday, March 12.

Business Post reports that the share price of FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc slumped by N1.26 during the session to N37.45 per unit from the preceding day’s N38.71 per unit.

However, Geo-Fluids Plc gained 27 Kobo to trade at N2.95 per share versus Tuesday’s closing price of N2.68 per unit, and First Trust Microfinance Bank Plc appreciated by 3 Kobo to close at 56 Kobo per share, in contrast to the previous day’s rate of 53 Kobo per share.

When the platform ended trading activities yesterday, its value went down by N1.17 billion to settle at N1.955 trillion compared with the preceding day’s N1.956 trillion and the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) decreased by 2.03 points to close at 3,385.50 points, in contrast to the previous trading day’s 3,387.53 points.

The volume of securities traded at the bourse dropped by 36.3 per cent to 298,845 units from the 469,185 units published on Tuesday, the value of securities decreased by 4.8 per cent to N10.4 million from the N10.9 million quoted at the preceding session, and the number number of deals moderated by 34.2 per cent to 25 deals from 38 deals.

At the close of business, Impresit Bakolori Plc was the most active stock by value (year-to-date) with 533.9 million units worth N520.9 million, followed by FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc with 12.5 million units valued at N484.0 million, and Afriland Properties Plc with 17.2 million units sold for N352.8 million.

Also, Impresit Bakolori Plc was the most active stock by volume (year-to-date) with 533.9 million units worth N520.9 million, trailed by Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) Plc with 69.9 million units sold for N23.7 million, and Afriland Properties Plc with 17.2 million units valued at N352.8 million.

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Economy

Reps Approve Conditions to Revoke Licences of Insurance Companies

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Coronation Insurance

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

The House of Representatives has passed Nigeria Insurance Industry Reform Act, 2024, repealing Act, Cap 117, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004; the Marine Insurance Act, Cap M3, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004; The Motor Vehicle (Third Party) Insurance Act, Cap M22, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004; the National Insurance Corporation of Nigeria Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and the Nigerian Insurance Reinsurance Corporation Act, Cap N131, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

At the plenary on Wednesday, the green chamber of the National Assembly approved some conditions the operating licence of an insurance company can be revoked by the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM).

The new piece of legislature, which provides for a comprehensive legal and regulatory framework for insurance business in Nigeria, was enacted yesterday after the consideration of the Senate bill.

During the presentation by House Leader, Mr Julius Ihonvbere, yesterday, for a clause-by-clause consideration, it was agreed that NAICOM can withdraw the licence of an insurer or reinsurer if it is not conducting insurance business in accordance with sound insurance principles.

In addition, this action can be carried out if the licence holder has “failed to satisfy the capital or solvency requirement as prescribed by the commission and has ceased to carry on the business of insurance and the primary purpose for which it was registered for at least one year in Nigeria.”

The lower chamber of the parliament also concurred with the Senate that for obtaining an operating licence, “An application for licensing as an insurer shall be made to the commission in the prescribed form and accompanied by such other documents or information as the commission may from time to time require.

“The commission shall publish and make available to the general public a service charter which shall provide for products and services of the commission and the complete list of requirements to obtain the products and services.”

However, no person or organisation is allowed to “commence or carry out insurance, reinsurance or related business in Nigeria unless licensed by the commission as an insurer or a reinsurer under this bill.”

NAICOM was given the power to “regulate the insurance industry [in Nigeria] in order to develop the insurance sector and to protect the interest of policyholders, prospective policyholders and other stakeholders under insurance policies in ways that are consistent with the continued development of a viable, competitive  and innovative insurance industry.”

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