BY TONY OKAFOR
A former Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Mr. Aderemi Adeoye, has broken his silence on the recent allegations and blackmail campaign against him and the Alpha Trust Investment Club (ATIC), a cooperative society he co-founded.
According to Adeoye, the allegations stem from a group of members who were expelled from the cooperative due to their disruptive behaviour and criminal conduct.
“Renegade members we expelled for criminal conduct have started their campaign of blackmail again. This time around, Punch Newspaper is their willing tool. They found a brown envelope-loving journalist who had sold his conscience to the devil,” Adeoye stated.
He explained that the expelled members had been causing problems within the cooperative, issuing criminal threats against officials, and impairing the profit-making processes for the benefit of other members.
After their expulsion, ATIC initiated the process of settling their investments, but the expelled members spurned the offer, attempting to create the impression that they had been scammed.
“We set in motion the process of settling all their investments in the Cooperative, but they spurned the offer to create the impression that they were scammed.
“Even before they instituted the suit, we had refunded to them monies they invested in the Cooperative in accordance with cooperative laws, which stipulates that having received dividend annually, whenever they leave, they would be entitled to collecting only the sum they invested,” Adeoye clarified.
He further explained that those who invested in the loan scheme were paid their sums with 10% interest, while those who paid cooperative dues were refunded all their dues with 10% interest.
Additionally, all incomplete deposits paid for plots of land were refunded to them.
The former CP also addressed the issue of land allocation, stating that ATIC’s land investment scheme was based on land banking with reputable developers.
“We contribute money to buy majority of our land as an entity, and we buy for investment with a view to selling when price appreciates. We did not buy with a view to taking possession. It was Land Banking with various reputable developers,” he explained.
Adeoye attributed the blackmail campaign to the expelled members’ greed and desire for retaliation.
“The pain of missing out is what is fuelling the resurgence of their blackmail. Since they are already in court, why can they not allow the court to adjudicate instead of resorting to their old despicable antic of blackmail?” he queried.
He also addressed allegations of running a Ponzi scheme, stating that the claim was false.
“They lied to the world that we are Ponzi, yet they remained with us till we expelled them. Now they want more money than they are entitled to. Does any Ponzi pay shishi?” he asked.
Adeoye emphasized that ATIC has over 1,300 members and recently paid out over N100m in dividends and bonus shares to its members.
He assured that the organization would continue to work towards creating value for its members.
Regarding a court case, Adeoye revealed that the suit had come up three times, and ATIC officials were present, but the plaintiffs failed to show up.
“Very soon, we will be selling on behalf of our members individual plots purchased by them. Creating value for our members is the reason for our existence, and we shall continue to work day and night to serve them,” he maintained.
