Mrs. Crystal Chidinma Uba, daughter of former Senator Andy Uba, has written to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, requesting his intervention to remove her name from the charges involving her father.
Falana and Falana’s Chambers, the law firm representing Crystal, in a letter to the police IG dated February 11, 2025, said their client already explained that she had nothing to do with the case and never had any contact with the complainant.
On Monday, newsmen reported that Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered that Uba, his daughter Crystal, and Mr. Benjamin Etu be served their charge sheet by pasting it at their last known addresses.
This decision was made due to the trio’s alleged evasion of service in the ongoing criminal case.
The case, IGP v. Andy Uba, Crystal Chidinma Uba, and Benjamin Etu (IGP V FHC/ABJ/CR/538/2024), involves allegations of N400 million fraud.
According to reports, Uba and his co-defendants had been evading service, prompting the Inspector General of Police to file an ex-parte motion for substituted service, which was approved by the court on February 5.
This development followed revelations by newsmen that Uba, his daughter, and associates allegedly defrauded former lawmaker Doris Uboh and George Uboh of N400 million, promising to secure an appointment as Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) through Aisha Buhari, the wife of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
On February 5, newsmen reported that the Federal High Court in Abuja had scheduled March 5 for the arraignment of Andy Uba over the alleged N400 million fraud.
Uba, along with Crystal Uba and Benjamin Etu, faces a two-count charge in case number FHC/ABJ/CR/538/2024, which was filed on October 8, 2024.
According to the charge sheet, the accused persons, along with a certain Hajiya Fatima (who is currently at large), allegedly conspired in 2022 to defraud George Uboh by falsely claiming they could secure the position of Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) for anyone willing to pay N400 million.
Uboh had submitted a petition to the IGP on April 5, 2023, claiming to have documentary and audio evidence against the accused.
The prosecution has lined up six witnesses to testify against Uba and his co-defendants.
Meanwhile, during a court session on November 13, the prosecution had alleged that the defendants had been evading service of court documents despite being granted administrative bail.
The prosecution further revealed that Uba and others initially secured a fundamental rights enforcement order that prevented their immediate prosecution.
However, following the lifting of that order, they were formally charged.
According to sources, Uba duped Doris Uboh, a former member of the House of Representatives representing the Ika Federal Constituency of Delta State, of N400 million in 2022, after promising her an opportunity to become the MD of NDDC through then first lady, Aisha Buhari.
Sources privy to the incident told newsmen that Uba’s trial followed a petition to the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
Meanwhile, Crystal, through her lawyers, in the letter signed by Taiwo E. Olawanle, said, “Our client who is the daughter of Senator Andy Uba sometime in May 2023 was arrested at the premises of her bank where she went to inquire about her bank account under restriction.
“Upon her arrest, she was taken to Maitama Police Divisional Headquarters where she was transferred to the IGP Monitoring Unit and she gave her statement under caution.
“The allegation against our client was that she received money from a certain company called Yas Oil. Unknown to our client, her father, Senator Andy Uba, as usual, sent her money through Yas Oil in July 2022.”
The law firm, however, noted that Crystal had already “explained all she knew about the money and never had any contact with the complainant or Yas Oil”.
It said, “Our client had no knowledge of or involvement in the matter as the money traced to her account was on her father’s instruction and she lacked the moral and legal duties to question her father as the source of money sent to her.
“To the utmost bewilderment of our client, she began to receive calls from family members, friends and associates who read in the dailies and online media that she had been charged in court for fraud which a prima facie case of fraud was not made against her. This has caused our client great reputational damage as she has never been involved in any fraudulent dealing since she became an adult.
“The Charge filed before the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division in Charge No.: FHC/ABJ/CR/538/2024 BETWEEN THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE AND ANDY UBA &ORS was afterwards sent to our client via her WhatsApp by an alleged operative of the IGP Monitoring Unit.
“Our client as a young individual who is just beginning to establish herself is deeply devastated that her name has been tarnished in the media with numerous online posts falsely linking her to allegations of fraud.
“Given the above, we humbly request that you use your good office to strike out the name of our client from the Charge No.: FHC/ABJ/CR/538/2024 BETWEEN THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE AND ANDY UBA &ORS. pending before the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division as there is no justification for charging her along with her father, Senator Andy Uba.”
“While we hope that the salient issues raised in this letter are given the required attention, please accept the warmest regards of our principal, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN to the revered office of the Inspector-General of Police of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” it added.
