Against the viral report that President and Founder of Enemona Josh Humanitarian Foundation, Ambassador David Onoja was abducted by gunmen in police uniform, it has now been confirmed that the self-styled philanthropist was arrested over alleged fraud as supposed being kidnapped, Quest Times can authoritatively report.
David Onoja made headlines after he was purportedly kidnapped in the wee hours of Thursday in his house at Wada road Lokoja.
Onoja was picked from his house by six gunmen who were dressed in police uniforms with bulletproof vests and armed with AK-47s, a family source disclosed.
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The source added that the gunmen came to the resident of the philanthropist in a sienna bus panted in maroon colour and manhandled him before they whisk him away to an unknown destination.
Speaking to Quest Times on Thursday, a business associate of the self-styled philanthropist who spoke based on anonymity, however, debunked the news saying “he (David Onoja) was never kidnapped but arrested”.
According to the source, he has been the one funding David Onoja’s foundation and they both had an agreement before striking the deal.
“He (David Onoja) introduced his business to me and I welcomed the idea. I was in Lokoja in 2020 to see what the business looks like, and I saw it’s a genuine business.
“It was a coal business. He supplies consumers in Ogun and some parts of Abuja. The more we fund the business, the more money we make. He comes with the proposal and we discuss and agree on my Return of Investment (ROI),” the source said.
“I noticed he started developing interest in politics which I warned him to desist from but he wouldn’t listen. He started spending extravagantly in the guise of doing philanthropic works and it is now difficult for him to give an account of what has been expended on the business,” the source added.
The source, therefore, urged the members of the public to disregard the rumoured news of Onoja’s arrest adding that “he is on his way to Lagos where he will be facing trial”.
“He was arrested by Nigeria Police Force for refusing to pay a loan he collected using PFTN Nigeria limited, for the financing of coal mining and haulage business worth N530 million naira,” another source told Quest Times.
“The arrest which was authorised by the Lagos state Commissioner of Police had the arrest warrant and all other necessary paperwork, which enable them to trace Mr Enemona Josh to Lokoja where he has been hidden under the cover of Edward Onoja.
“The self-acclaimed Kogi philanthropist was arrested from his house at Wada road Lokoja and taken to Lagos where he is expected to face the law,” the source added.
When contacted by our reporter, the Lagos Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin promised to revert as he was driving at press time.
