‘Magu’s pastor’ sues FCMB, demands N5bn in damages for false NFIU report

Emmanuel Omale, the founder of the Divine Hand of God Prophetic Ministry in Abuja, has sued First City Monument Bank (FCMB) for breaching banker-client and falsely alerting the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) of a suspicious credit inflow.

Court documents show that Omale is demanding N5 billion in exemplary, aggravated, special and general damages.

“The defendant negligently breached the fiduciary duty of care it owes the claimants by its false automated report to the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit of a suspicious credit inflow of N573,228,040.41 into the 1st claimant’s corporate current account,” the document read.

Omale and his wife, Deborah, said they were exposed to public hatred and contempt due to the investigation and negative media reports.

Adam Nuru, managing director of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), had told the Presidential Committee on Audit of Recovered Assets (PCARA) that the bank made an error of posting N573 million into the church’s account.

However, the bank clarified that there was a system error that affected Omale’s account but no transfer was made.

The committee had accused Ibrahim Magu, suspended acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), of using Omale to launder funds abroad.

The committee had said the former acting chairman purchased a property in Dubai using Omale’s name — an allegation the pastor denied.

Magu is currently being investigated by the committee headed by Ayo Salami, former president of the appeal court, for allegedly mismanaging loot recovered by the anti-graft agency.