Since Newsdiaryonline broke the story of an alleged $300,000 blackmail scandal and the arrest of a staff of the peoples Gazette in a sting operation led by EFCC, all hell has been let loose with supporters of Mr Samuel Ogundipe claiming that the story was false.
Several journalists who contacted Ogundipe were told the story was not true. The impression was created that Newsdiaryonline perhaps published fake news.Fact is that EFCC is probing the Scandal.
Some of his friends who may have been misled by Ogundipe’s denial of the story, have been on social media castigating Newsdiaryonline and newspaper’s Publisher/Editor-In-Chief, Danlami Nmodu, mni.
Despite Ogundipe’s denial, when several reporters contacted him, two key events have happened afterwards: first , The ICIR has crosschecked and confirmed that EFCC is currently in deed investigating Ogundipe over alleged blackmail.
Secondly, an audio tape has emerged of Samuel Ogundipe in secret conversation with Allen Onyema who he calls “Chief Onyema”.In the tape, Ogundipe was begging Onyema to intervene to ensure the release of his female staff who was in the custody of EFCC.
Chief Onyema was overheard saying he has also “parted” with his money.
So the story is not false.
Read the transcript of the Secret conversation below and listen to the audio tape as well.In the transcipt, Samuel Ogundipe is identified simply as Samuel:
Onyema: (In pidgin) I go press not now, he go cut.I go press setting ,still
Samuel : Yes, yes, you will have to allow WhatsApp to access your microphone.You know that whatsApp is an application on your phone so,..It needs permission to access your microphone so that when you are talking, another person will hear you.So it needs access ..
Onyema:….I did that one it started propping up this one.Now I press setting, it cut off,I press not now,cut off.
Samuel:Can I call you from a different number on the normal line?
Onyema :{continues):Even when I try to call you with it
Samuel: Hello sir
Onyema: Okay, yes
Samuel: All right sir Thank you sir
Pause
Onyema:I will have to do it so that it can work.Please don’t call on that line.That is the line that causes problems
Samuel: No no no.I want to use another MTN line to call the other line, to call that other phone.Yes
Onyema.There is no this thing on it
Samuel:No SIM Card
Onyema:No SIM Card
Samuel: Oh
Onyema: You see eh, Iam on the road now.Iam on the road now going to the office.
Samuel:Okay sir
Onyema: They even called me.Iam on the road going to the office.When I get to the office, my IT girl will help me do this thing well.I don’t know how to do all these things.Na dem buy am yesterday for me, when I got information about what happened.Iam inside the car, my phone is in the car.Even now,I switched it off.As Iam talking to you,I don’t trust anything again.Let me get to the office.Just calm down.Let me get to the office.I will call you.
Samuel :Okay sir, Okay
Onyema: For them to proceed on anything, they need my cooperation now,abi
Samuel: Em well, yes, they will need your cooperation, please, I mean ,so that she can be released today.The family is..It is unbelievable what they are saying .
Onyema: Iam not even happy myself..I don’t want to go, start discussing…
Samuel: Okay sir.
Onyema:…Iam just approaching Third Mainland now
Samuel: Okay sir.
Pause
Onyema: Hello
Samuel: Hello sir
Onyema: I have gotten to the office.They have done it for me now
Samuel: Oh,okay.Em please sir..We are just trying to see if you could help us for them to vary the terms they are trying to give for her bail
Onyema: First of all, let me say this
Samuel: Ok sir
Onyema: ..So that you will understand it.Somebody called me yesterday
Samuel: Okay sir.
Onyema: The person sent me a message first of all.I didn’t know who the person was.He called me , he said it was about you.So I called the person.One Edward..called me
Samuel: Okay
Onyema: And spoke to me.So I told him that even me that these people took my phones, that even my police here…. no, you don’t do that to him.Whatever you want of him ,you invite him.I went there yesterday evening.So I said okay, I would contact my lawyers my lawyers before anything.If you say you are eavesdropping on my calls, that you people intercepted my calls.How did it happen?They said I should bring my phone, let them show me immediately..it’s my main number…MTN (Reads out number)
Samuel : Okay sir
Onyema: My MTN number.You also should learn from this,even as Iam talking to you now, the phone is not around me.Once that phone is bugged,I didn’t know that my phone had been bugged for the past several months,every discussion you are making, they are hearing it.So when they are hearing it, it depends on what they make out of your discussion.If it is the one they can call you, they call you.If it is something that doesn’t concern you, they leave you.So that was what happened
Samuel: Oh oh
Onyema: Yes, that was what happened. I didn’t, it wasn’t my this thing.That was exactly how it happened.So I became speechless.I said okay, that I would come there today.That is one. Secondly, there are so many other things I was hearing around there but it is not for me to go into it.The most important thing now is how this girl will come out. Even my money I gave her is with her,Iam not bothered about that.
Samuel: I mean, that will have to, If that is with the EFCC, they will then give it back to you… Hello?
Onyema: ..Once I have parted with it, I have parted with it,I don’t care.Because even me I was in the this thing before somebody ran back to me and said there is problem outside.So me,I ran down and I started asking the police what is happening? What is happening? Why all this? All the noise and my policemen were also trying to separate me and them. He said look, for your information, we follow all your calls.Are you satisfied now? That was what the man said.I now stepped back.I don’t know the conditions they are giving because nobody allowed me to see anybody this morning. I went there this morning earlier. I went there.They said I would make a statement.I waited for Alege, my lawyer to come before I do anything.He said I should wait for him.Later he called, he said I should tell them that he will make it later in the day,that I should go to wherever I was going to, because,Iam not feeling fine..
Samuel:Sorry about that
Onyema: Based on that, I was allowed to go.Even the girl helped to take me upstairs.Your girl helped to take me upstairs with my receptionist
Samuel:Okay sir.
Onyema: They helped me to stabilize..So what conditions are they giving?
Samuel: They are asking for a level Civil Servant,C of O, I mean Letter of Introduction of the Civil Servant.And that is for one person.And then another person, a private person who must also have a land, a property, C of O,three years tax clearance.And all that and all that.Quite complex, you know very stringent conditions,which seem to be that they want to keep her.And it shouldn’t be…She doesn’t know anything
Onyema : What of the parents?
Samuel:The parents.The parents are there.The parents are in Lagos.They are in Yaba.She was coming to see them and do official work .That was what she came for.I was the one who..
Onyema:That is what Iam saying. Can .., because they will not allow me,because that one is given, because Iam part of the..They will not allow me
Samuel: What can you say they should do?
Onyeama: ..Can they allow the parents to sign for her
Samuel: Well if you can help us
Onyema: Even if they don’t have any of these things
Samuel: Yeah, if you can help us intervene please, we will be very grateful so that her parents..I think her dad is around there
Onyema: ..Do you have a lawyer? Your lawyer can make that eh..
Samuel: Our lawyer is there.Our lawyer is there but unfortunately they are saying that they want..
Onyema: They are not allowing him?
Samuel: No, they are saying that they want those conditions.So but I think if you help us intervene,I think it will go a long way, to say let her parents take her.I mean her parents are in Yaba, they have their house there in Yaba.So let them take her on bail..
Onyema: They won’t listen to me now, because me too, Iam being accused
Samuel:(Sighs) God!
Onyema:They won’t listen to me
Samuel: Ahhh!
Onyema:They won’t listen to me.I think what the lawyer should do in this case is not to go there, ‘Iam a lawyer’, you start fighting.He should just assure them ,okay,I will produce this and that.Lawyers do it at times and get the parents sign for this girl.This is a youg girl, let her come out. I think that’s what he should do.That is what the lawyer should do.If your lawyer can get across to me, let me talk with him.
Samuel: I could add him to this call sir
Onyema: Ehhen
Samuel: Okay, I don’t know whether they would allow but that is what he has been telling me..
Onyema: Another thing is that from what I was hearing this morning, my own lawyers are very, very..I think I even have to call my lawyer.Because they too, you know because his name is in this thing, they are the ones even feeling more wounded than myself.
Samuel: Iam sorry, you were saying you heard some things.What did you hear sir?
Onyema: I said my lawyers are feeling more wounded with the allegations than myself even.
Samuel: I don’t even know.I don’t know what they want to accuse you or myself of doing.That is what we are.., we find it really strange.What is it,what is the offence?
Onyema: They(his lawyers) are feeling more wounded of the allegations from Centre for this thing where they tried to paint legit transactions as fraudulent.
Samuel: Yes,yes and because of what it is..
Onyema: You said?
Samuel: Iam just saying that the allegations that the (Names Centre) that they came up with against you, that is why I said this thing, like I told you, for us, it doesn’t meet up to our own standard that Peoples Gazette would publish,that’s why we discussed and you felt look, let’s get them not to publish this.
Onyema: The , the , the , the, let me even call him.
Samuel: Anyway, my lawyer is on the call.I have just added him sir.Ini, do you want to advice him sir?Ini, Chief Onyema is on the call
Sam’s Lawyer: Chief Iam one of your most regular passengers oo
Onyema : (Laughs) Thank you my brother.Thank you, thank you. ..Please at this moment every hand should be on deck to see that this young girl is released.I think what you should do if you can bring..will they allow the parents?Because this something of level 16 and others,you know those kind of conditions might be difficult for somebody to reach and she is still a very young girl.I think..I don’t want you to go there to make this people look at you as a lawyer, but talk to them as brother to brother.Let them bring the parents to maybe stand surety for her.Iam sure they might listen.It depends on approach.
Sam’s Lawyer:..The parents are available but they are insistent on those conditions.
Onyema: They are insisting on those conditions?
Sam’s Lawyer:Yeah, the parents are on ground. We even made them come with passport, ID Card and so on,but they are not prepared…..
Onyema: Do you have any other person other than the direct parents who may not meet up with all the conditions of level 16 but could meet up even if it’s level 10 or level 8,..something like that?
Sam’s lawyer: We are running around to see
Onyema: Because even during my own time, the other time, they gave me such conditions.They gave me all manner of conditions for bail.So, if you can get somebody, even if the person does not meet up, exactly ..level 16,even if it’s level 10 person.Even if it’s land in Mowe, ..at least maybe for their own procedure, that will help.And make sure you don’t irritate anybody there.I know, we are colleagues, Iam a lawyer myself.Sometimes we get angry and we say things.It’s okay, just try and play it down so that they can get bail please
Sam’s Lawyer: Yes, we are doing that sir
Onyema:If you can get somebody even if the person doesn’t meet up to level 16.
Sam’s lawyer: Yes,we are working on that sir
Onyema:Did you see my lawyer’s there?
Sam’s lawyer: No
Samuel: Alege?
Onyema: Which side did you go to?You know they have two offices
Sam’s lawyer: Okay,it’s Ikoyi
Onyema:In Ikoyi there, they have two offices
Samuel: I think the section that is handling, it is it not under CME or something?
Onyema:They have two offices there.There is one in Okotie Eboh, there is one other, where the zonal head is,I don’t know.
Sam’s lawyer: I think it’s where the zonal head is.
Onyema:Let me call my lawyers,I will call you back.Samuel, you can give me your lawyer’s number
Samuel: It’s already on this call..Ok,I will send it to you right away sir
Onyema: Send it to me,I will get back to you.
Samuel: Okay, thank you sir
Sam’s lawyer:All right.
(Audio ends)
Listen to the conversation below:
It is clear in the audio that Onyema tried to deceive Ogundipe into believing that law enforcement became aware of the blackmail saga after bugging his telephone. He apparently did not want the “journalist” to know at that point that it was he (Onyema) who called in the EFCC for a sting operation on the matter.
Newsdiaryonline called Ogundipe for his reaction to the audio and for his account on the entire saga.He did not pick his call. This was followed Saturday by several questions sent to him by WhatsApp, he did not respond.See the screenshot below:
Despite the facts within the public domain already, some analysts remain sceptical.One US-based Nigerian public commentator said, in all of these, “EFCC is an arm of the government and so it’s not so suprising that they will go after someone considered an enemy of the state, knowing the way our country works . Of course I have no idea if the guy did it or not but just giving the benefit of the doubt. We will see how it plays out and the evidence they have against him.”
