The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Department of State Services, DSS, have launched an investigation into alleged attempt by the Editor of a Nigerian online newspaper, Peoples Gazette, Samuel Ogundipe to blackmail the chairman of Air Peace, Allen Onyema, into paying him $300,000, Newsdiaryonline has exclusively reported.
According to the report, which said Ogundipe is now on the run as a result of the EFCC and DSS’ search for him, the editor contacted Onyema five months ago that his paper was working on a stinker on him, but could drop the story if the Air Peace chairman paid him $300,000.
It further said that Onyema tried to convince Ogundipe that the allegations by Peoples Gazette were false and only calculated to tarnish his reputation, but the editor refused to back down.
The Air Peace chairman then alerted the EFCC and the DSS on the plot to blackmail and extort from him by Ogundipe.
The EFCC and the DSS then set up a joint sting operation on the matter, our sources said.
They asked Onyema to play along while the two agencies continued to monitor and record the communications between the Peoples Gazette Editor and the Air Peace chairman.
While playing along, Mr Onyema offered to pay Ogundipe $150,000 in three installments. After some back and forth, the journalist agreed.
Those familiar with the matter said the Air Peace chairman then requested Ogundipe to provide an account number to which the money could be paid but the journalist insisted that he would only accept the payment in cash.
Onyema continued to play along in line with the script given to him by the law enforcement agencies involved in the operation.
He invited Ogundipe to his office in Lagos to collect the first installment of $50,000.
The journalist, however, said he was away in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, at the time but that he would send a representative to collect the money on his behalf.
On the appointed date, the representative, said to be a female staff of Peoples Gazette, showed up at Onyema’s office as agreed, to receive the bribe.
But at this time, armed operatives of EFCC and DSS, had planted recording devices in Onyema’s office while also taking positions around the facility.
With report from Newsdiaryonline
