Fidelity Bank’s Managing Director, Dr. Onyeali-Ikpe, Admits to Paying ₦5 Billion to Evade Police Detention Amidst ₦19 Billion Fraud Investigation
In legal documents filed under Charge No: FHC/L/138C/2025 at a Federal High Court in Lagos, the Federal Republic of Nigeria is prosecuting Victor Ukutt, Fidelity Bank Plc, Dr. Onyeali-Ikpe, and Whoba Ugwunna Ogo (currently at large) for the alleged illicit conversion of funds belonging to Woobs Resources Limited.
Dr. Nneka C. Onyeali-Ikpe, the Managing Director of Fidelity Bank Plc, has purportedly confessed to disbursing N5 billion to secure her release from police custody amid an ongoing multi-billion naira fraud investigation.
The case, registered as Charge No: FHC/L/138C/2025, involves the Federal Government prosecuting several parties, including Dr. Onyeali-Ikpe, for the alleged unlawful appropriation of funds belonging to Woobs Resources Limited.
In an exclusive conversation obtained by SaharaReporters, Dr. Onyeali-Ikpe informed a long-standing bank client, identified only as Uba, of her N5 billion payment to secure bail following her arrest by the Nigerian Police in connection with the case.
She is named as the third defendant in the case, which was filed in February 2025.
The customer, Uba, revealed that he had maintained a current account with Fidelity Bank since February 2003, diligently operating it for over two decades. However, he lamented that he no longer had access to his account.
More concerning, Uba alleged that all his contact details, including his registered phone number and email, were deactivated by the bank without his knowledge or consent.
He stated, “My name is Uba, and I’m a customer of the bank. I felt it was crucial to obtain your number as the Managing Director of Fidelity Bank and speak with you directly. I’ve been experiencing grave injustice from your bank. I’ve maintained a current account with your bank since February 2003 and have operated it diligently. Yet now, I no longer have access to my account. More disturbingly, I recently discovered that all my contact details, including my phone number and email, have been deactivated by the bank.”
“I received a message from your office informing me of this deactivation. I’ve been away on a medical vacation, and even now, I’m barely able to make this call. Regardless of the situation, I believe the bank owed me the courtesy of contacting me directly. I’ve made every effort to speak with someone, but no one seems willing to engage with me,” he said.
Uba continued, “It appears your staff have unilaterally decided to freeze my account and remove my access, as if they can manipulate the system without consequence. I worked with the bank in the past, so I understand how things work. I just don’t think this is fair.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, the Managing Director of Fidelity Bank, disclosed that the bank was grappling with serious issues involving the police. She revealed that she was nearly arrested and had to personally secure her release.
During the conversation, she noted that the bank had informed Uba and given him a 14-day deadline to return to the country so the matter could be resolved. However, they received no response from him.
She said, “Alright, Mr. Uba. I understand your concerns, but I have to leave shortly for something urgent. Is this your number?”
Uba replied, “Yes, that’s my number. Please feel free to call me back.”
Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, “Alright. I’ll try to call you back later. But let me clarify a few things. I’m surprised you’re saying no one reached out to you. We actually wrote to inform you that we were having serious issues involving the police. I, personally, was almost arrested — I had to bail myself out. We informed you and gave you a 14-day deadline to return to the country so we could resolve the matter, but we didn’t hear back from you.
“We’ve found ourselves in a very difficult situation, and you have to understand the bank needed to protect itself too. I would have expected you to respond to that letter or at least call.
“Our staff spent nights in police custody because of this issue. I even had to spend ₦5 billion to secure bail and defend the bank. It’s not just you who’s hurting — we are also affected deeply by this situation. So, I’d like to pause here for now. I’ll call you back in the evening to continue the conversation.”
Uba said, “Okay. I believe we could have resolved all this if you had called me personally or if I had been able to come to Nigeria sooner.”
Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, “Exactly. We are now being charged with conspiracy and misappropriation — things we know nothing about. It’s not fair to the bank either. You should have made an effort to help resolve these issues.”
“Anyway, I’ll call you later today. But I just want to clarify — the issue isn’t as one-sided as it may seem. The police harassment we’re experiencing is real and serious. You’re not the only one going through this,” she added.
Previously, SaharaReporters reported that the Federal Government has dropped Onyeali-Ikpe’s name from the ongoing criminal case involving the alleged fraud amounting to over N19 billion.
The case, filed by the Attorney General of the Federation, is against a lawyer, Victor Ukutt, another defendant, Whoba Ugwunna Ogo (reported to be at large), and Fidelity Bank Plc and Dr. Onyeali-Ikpe, over the alleged unlawful conversion of funds belonging to Woobs Resources Limited.
Dr. Onyeali-Ikpe was listed as the third defendant in Charge No: FHC/L/138C/2025 between the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the complainant and Victor Ukutt, Esq, Fidelity Bank Plc, and Whoba Ugwunna Ogo as the first, second, and fourth defendants respectively, filed in February 2025.
The Federal Government had in the eight-count charge filed before Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Lagos, accused the Fidelity Bank MD in count one of conspiracy contrary to Sections 18(a) and 15 (3) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (As Amended).
The charge filed by M. B. Abubakar, Director, Department of Public Prosecutions for the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, was brought under Sections 104 and 379 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
Counts 1, 2, and 8 were the charges brought against the bank MD, but they were later dropped by the AGF.
“That you VICTOR UKUTT, FIDELITY BANK PLC, DR. NNEKA C. ONYEALI-IKPE and WHOBA UGWUNNA OGO (now at large) between 2011 and 2023, in Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did conspire amongst yourselves to fraudulently convert an aggregate sum of about N19,000,000,000.00 (Nineteen Billion Naira) property of the WOOBS RESOURCES LIMITED (a company registered under the Companies and Allied Matters Act) from the company’s account domiciled with the Fidelity Bank PLC, which sum you reasonably ought to have known was a proceed of an unlawful act, to wit; theft/fraud,” one of the charges read.
However, the Federal Government, in a 10-count amended charge filed on May 5, 2025, removed Dr. Onyeali-Ikpe’s name and replaced it with Safiya Whoba.
The current defendants in the charge are: Victor Ukutt, Esq, Fidelity Bank Plc, Whoba Ugwunna Ogo, and Safiya Whoba as the first to fourth defendants, respectively.
However, according to a counter-affidavit dated March 28, 2025, filed by the second (Fidelity Bank Plc) and third (Onyeali-Ikpe) defendants to oppose the prosecution’s motion, they revealed that there was already an agreement with the complainant and the prosecution (Attorney General of the Federation and the police) not to take further action against the bank.
They described the prosecution of the bank as a breach of promise that the bank would not be prosecuted following the arrangement.
The affidavit filed by the Head of the Legal Services Division for the bank, Oluwatodimu Adeyemi, said, “That sequel to investigations by the Nigeria Police based on the petitions of Mr. James Onyemenam and Woobs Resources Limited (the Complainants), the Complainants and the prosecution have unequivocally represented, agreed, and promised not to initiate or make any complaint to law enforcement agents for the prosecution of the second Defendant/Applicant in respect of matters in Counts 1, 2, and 8 and particularly any withdrawals from and the operations of the account(s) of Woobs Resources Limited with the second Defendant and the second Defendant has acted on the representation and promise to its detriment.
“That this prosecution is a breach of the promise and it will be unfair to prosecute the second Defendant in the circumstances.”
“We submit further that the prosecution in this Charge has been commenced based on a breach of promise not to prosecute the second Defendant because at all material times, Woobs Resources Limited and Mr. James Onyemenam (the Complainants) have unequivocally represented, agreed, and promised not to initiate or make any complaint to law enforcement agents for the prosecution of the second Defendant in respect of matters in Counts 1, 2, and 8 and particularly any withdrawals from and the operations of the account(s) of Woobs Resources Limited with the second Defendant and the second Defendant has acted on the representation and promise to its detriment,” the bank argued in the court document.
Meanwhile, the Attorney General recently explained that the decision to withdraw the charges against Onyeali-Ikpe was rooted in the principles of justice, fairness, and the rule of law.
“The Attorney General’s decision is a testament to the office’s commitment to upholding justice and fairness,” the statement read.
According to the AGF Office, “Dr. Onyeali-Ikpe was neither the account officer nor the Managing Director of Fidelity Bank when the account in question was opened.”
The statement clarified that Fidelity Bank Plc, as a corporate entity, remains a party to the ongoing criminal proceedings, and that the withdrawal of charges against the MD/CEO should not be misinterpreted as exonerating the institution itself.
The statement said the decision “does not exculpate Fidelity Bank from the allegations contained in the charge.”
“Rather, it demonstrates the Attorney General’s duty to ensure that innocent individuals are not unjustly prosecuted,” it added.
