*Vice Principal narrates ordeal
It was like a scene from a horror movie.
On Thursday, February 27, 2025, teachers and pupils of Goodwill Private Schools, Ikorodu, were enjoying the bliss of the atmosphere, paying attention to their studies.
The tranquillity was, however, disrupted when gun welding EFCC operatives numbering about 16 stormed the schools and halted all activities.
Before the teachers could make enquiries about what’s going on in the school premises, the operatives started marking the building with the inscription, “EFCC, Keep Off ” signing off 27/2/25.
Initially, the teachers who thought it was a prank or skit eventually realised that there might be a mix-up somewhere.
In a jiffy, the EFCC operatives moved into the classroom and told the teachers and pupils that the anti-graft commission had taken over their school vide final forfeiture which they got through exparte order in January 2025, without putting the other party on notice.
Narrating his ordeal in the hands of the gun welding EFCC operatives, Mr Olalekan Adewale, acting vice principal of Goodwill Private Schools, said everything happened in quick succession that the pupils were terrified with the sight of the officers armed to the teeth.
Adewale told our correspondent that one of the pupils was so traumatised that she started vomiting.
He said: “The EFCC also threatened to arrest me but had to change their minds when the teachers and pupils insisted that they would go with me to their office on Lagos Island.
“We were all embarrassed, and they started harassing everybody since we refused to receive the letter they brought from their office. It was so traumatised for the teachers and pupils alike,” he added.
Our correspondent learnt that even the proprietor of the school, Pastor Omoniyi Enikuomehin, was pleasantly surprised at the turn of events.
According to our investigation, Pastor Enikuomehin approached the First City Monument Bank, FCMB, in 2013 for a 30 million facility to upgrade the school. When it was becoming difficult for him to service the loan, he discussed with the FCMB to sell the property he used as collateral to defray the loan.
But instead of the bank (FCMB) to go through the due process by advertising the property and other details, it chose a private entity to sell it.
In 2023, a buyer, one Mrs Olabisi Olaiya, according to a document titled ” Deed of Assignment between the FCMB and Mr Olabisi Victoria Olaiya,” sighted by our correspondent paid N90 million for a property that was valued at N87 million in 2016 by FCMB, while other valuers put it at a princely sum of N180 million.
Pastor Enikuomehin having assigned his younger brother, Dr Benson Enikuomehin, to liaise with the bank for the sale of the property and FCMB having realised that they made a mistake by selling off a mortgage property without following due process, refused to release the documents to Mrs Olaiya.
Infuriated by FCMB’s hide-and-seek game four months after making full payment, her lawyer, Ronke Adekoya and Co, in a letter dated 27th November, 2023, petitioned the EFCC that FCMB fraudulently obtained the sum of N90 million under false pretence of a false sale and conversion of the said sum.
But in a new twist, instead of the EFCC to investigate what transpired between FCMB and Mrs Olaiya over the sale of property gone awry, the anti-graft commission turned its searchlight on Goodwill Private Schools that was built and commissioned by former Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Agagu, in 2004. It concluded that the money used to build the school must have been a proceed of crime.
The EFCC abandoned Mrs Olaiya’s petition against FCMB and approached the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, for interim forfeiture, using exparte order. Thereafter, EFCC also allegedly circumvented the process again. Instead of putting the other party on notice, it was exparte order that was used to procure the final forfeiture.
A family friend, however, drew the attention of Dr Enikuomehin to the final forfeiture in an advert in the PUNCH newspapers.
Dr Enikuomehin had to file for a stay of execution on February 5, 2025 to seek redress against the perceived injustice done through the EFCC action.
Justice A. O. Owoeye of Federal High Court, Ikoyi had while ruling on application for restraining order against the EFCC not to tamper with the res till the next adjourned date which is April 7, 2025 in order not to force a fait accompli on the court, said since the anti-graft commission attorney was in court, both parties should maintain status quo ante bellium.
Dr Enikuomehin said he was shocked to the marrow when, on 27 February 2025, he got a call that EFCC had invaded the school in a commando style brandishing assault rifle.
He also wrote to Justice Owoeye through the court registrar concerning the new development in the school and to abridge the date of hearing for accelerated one in order to forestall such illegal invasion of the school in the future.
Attempt to speak to the EFCC for its reaction over the issue was unsuccessful as at the time of filing this report.
