*’Mama Bishop’ allegedly cheats, frames up Agents; absconds with agency commission
By our Correspondents
Our paper is investigating allegations of purchase of property on proxy by the embattled immediate-past governor of Akwa Ibom State, His Excellency, Deacon Udom Gabriel Emmanuel.
As at press time, the former governor was being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, over alleged diversion of funds during his eight years tenure as governor.
According to very reliable sources, the properties which consist of bare lands and buildings, are situate at different locations within and outside Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital.
Preliminary investigations revealed that some of the properties worth billions of Naira, were discreetly purchased allegedly between 2018 and 2024 during his tenure as governor. According to our source, one of the persons used by the governor (as he then was) for the property acquisition is his blood sister (name withheld).
It was gathered that the former governor’s sister who is said to be a ‘Bishop’ of her newly established church with Headquarters in Akwa Ibom State was, prior to the emergence of her younger brother as governor, residing in northern part of Cross River State.
“She used to grind cassava in northern Cross River State to support her teaching work”, a source confided in our paper.
Continuing, our source who claimed to know the locations of most of the properties revealed: “I’m talking as someone who knows her, in and out.
She is the eldest in her family. Her sudden wealth came when her younger brother became governor. She started that church as a cover and the brother (Deacon Udom Emmanuel) used her and the church to secretly buy properties everywhere.
“Some of the properties are subjects of litigations like the one in Ogun state and this one here in Akwa Ibom State”.
Court documents sighted by our Correspondents showed that the claimants averred on oath that ‘Mama Bishop’ had confided in them that it was her younger brother, HE, Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, who sent her to buy the properties, using the name of her church.
Checks revealed that Mama Bishop’s church did not and still does not have the financial capacity anywhere close to the values of the properties under investigation. Our paper gathered that the bank account (details withheld) used for the transactions is that of a school (name withheld) privately owned allegedly by the governor’s (now former governor) sister.
It was learnt during checks at Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) that the said church was registered on the 12th October, 2016, about seventeen (17) months after HE, Deacon Udom Emmanuel was sworn in as governor of Akwa Ibom State. Also, the registration status of the school out of whose bank account billions of Naira were taken for the purchase of the said properties, was ‘inactive’ as at the time our Correspondent went checking ,although it was initially registered on March 13, 2020.
The very same sister was also alleged to be a surrogate for most failed road construction, especially feeder road contracts in the state.
Further investigations revealed that while ‘Mama Bishop’ would collect money from Governor Udom (as he then was) to buy the properties, she would also act as a real estate agent in order to allegedly shortchange the agents of their due commission.
It was further gathered that the aggrieved real estate agents were already in court on a case of defamation of character, against the former governor’s sister for framing them as dupes.
Our paper learnt that ‘Mama Bishop’ in an attempt to justify her refusal to pay their due agency commission, had falsely accused the real estate agents of defrauding her to the tune of Sixty-five Million Naira (N65,000,000.00).
The property involved in the defamation saga as shown in its survey plan, is a multiple hectares of land spanning two villages in one of the local government areas in Uyo senatorial district of Akwa Ibom State.
Meanwhile, local construction workers who were in charge of building the church from foundation to finishing confirmed to this paper that the church started few years ago after Udom Emmanuel emerged as governor, with Headquarters in one of the Housing Estates in Uyo. Documents and other evidence which support our source’s testimony confirm that the church has barely up to a hundred members, but claims to have properties worth billions of Naira at different locations.
Efforts to speak with Deacon Udom’s sister as at the time of filing this report were unsuccessful as her known telephone line was not reachable.
More details later
