Opinion:
The Benin Club Golf Section yesterday suspended a retired Air Vice Marshal Hassan Aliyu for daring to expose fraudulent financial allegations against some executive committee members.
One of the said allegations, as seen from a petition, involves the diversion of over one million, eight hundred thousand Naira (#1,800,000:00) by the current secretary of the section, Barr Emmanuel Usoh and the section’s accountant, Mr Emmanuel Aondoaver.
The duo, according to Information from a reliable source who does not want his name mentioned, says the captain of the section, Mr Stephen Ebaretonbofa, is shielding the duo from investigation and disciplinary measures because he his aware of the fraud, hence he personally signed a suspension letter addressed to AVM Hassan Aliyu for reporting the fraud to the police authority.
The other allegations being discussed around the club and the section involve the doctoring of the debtor’s list of the section by the Vice Captain Barr Victor Oriasotie, the house officer Dr Nonso, and the treasurer, in conjunction with the accountant Mr Emmanuel Aondoaver, to allow their close allies to vote during critical sectional meetings.
A few days ago, the house officer was suspended for an offence relating to indebtedness to the section before the election. In contrast, the secretary of the section, Barr Emmanuel Usoh, who contested an election to be the secretary of the section, issued a letter of non-indebtedness to himself as treasurer while he was owing over three hundred thousand Naira. This offence was overlooked by the disciplinary committee and ignored by the exco even after Usoh’s confession.
Situation reports at the section and at the leading club suggest that some members are already of the opinion that the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, should, as a matter of urgency, be called upon to do a forensic audit of all the fraudulent practices that have taken place in the section between December and September 2025.
Mr Omoruyi Adolor is an investigative Journalist based in Benin City, Edo State, where he sent this Piece