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VENO NEWS: Criminal Case: Osun State Govt Drags UBA MD, Oliver Alawuba, DMD, Chukwuma Nweke, Billy Odum Over Alleged Opening Of Unauthorised Osun LG Account
Date: 14-01-26

By Adeola Idris and Muyiwa Akinola

A criminal case has been filled against UBA Plc, the Group Managing Director, Mr Oliver Alawuba, Group Legal Adviser, Mr Billy Odum, and Deputy Managing Director, Mr Chukwuma Nweke for allegedly opening, operating, and maintaining Osun State Local Government Council accounts illegally without lawful authority by the Osun State government.

Court documents reveal that on 29 December 2025, the state government filed a 31-count criminal charge before the Chief Magistrate Court of Osun State, Osogbo Magisterial District, against UBA Plc, its Group Managing Director, Mr Oliver Alawuba, Group Legal Adviser, Mr Billy Odum, and Deputy Managing Director, Mr Chukwuma Nweke.

— Group Managing Director of UBA, Mr Oliver Alawuba, Group Legal Adviser, Mr Billy Odum, and Deputy Managing Director, Mr Chukwuma Nweke

According to the charge sheet, the defendants are accused of conspiracy to commit a felony, specifically the alleged opening, operation, and maintenance illegally Osun State Local Government Council accounts illegally without lawful authority. The alleged act, the prosecution stated, constitutes an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume 2, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.

The remaining 30 counts stem from alleged violations committed on or about 9 December 2025, relating to the administration of local government funds. The offences are said to be contrary to Sections 2 and 3(1) and (2) of the Osun State Local Government Accounts Administration Law, 2025, and punishable under Section 5(1) and (2) of the same law.

The state government, acting on behalf of the affected local government councils, contends that the alleged actions undermined the statutory framework governing local government finances and breached recently enacted laws aimed at strengthening transparency and accountability in the management of council funds.

The matter came up for the first time on Tuesday, 6 January 2026, before His Worship, A.A. Adeyeba, Senior Magistrate Grade I. At the brief sitting, the court acknowledged the filing of the charges and adjourned the case to 30 January 2026 for hearing.

Many calls to Ramon Olanrewaju Nasir, Head, Media and External Relations, United Bank for Africa and his assistant, Abiodun Coker were unsuccesful as calls to his line were not answered, and he has yet to respond to a message sent to him on the matter.

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