Police Arrest Former Presidential Adviser Okoi Obono-Obla Over Alleged Certificate Forgery

The Cross River State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of Okoi Obono-Obla, a former presidential aide, over allegations of forgery and securing legal qualifications under false pretences.

Police spokesperson Eitokpah Sunday stated that Obono-Obla was arrested on Thursday near Abuja Park in Ugep, Cross River State. The arrest follows a petition submitted to the state police commissioner concerning claims of “forgery and obtaining admission or professional qualification/entry into the legal profession by false pretence.”

Sunday emphasized that the arrest was lawful and dismissed reports suggesting that Obono-Obla had been abducted by unidentified security operatives.

“He was taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Calabar, where investigations are ongoing,” Sunday said. “His legal counsel and family have been informed and are involved in the process. Any reports of kidnapping are false and without factual basis.”

Obono-Obla was appointed special assistant to the president (prosecution) at the Federal Ministry of Justice by then-President Muhammadu Buhari in 2016. He also chaired the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property (SPIP).

In August 2019, Buhari suspended him from the panel following an ICPC investigation into alleged falsification of records and financial misconduct. ICPC later declared Obono-Obla wanted for repeatedly failing to appear before the commission.

He has previously faced multiple arrests and court proceedings: in March 2020 by ICPC in Abuja; in March 2021 over an alleged N10.1 million fraud; and in October 2021 on charges related to falsifying academic records, including claims that he forged O’Level results to study law at the University of Jos in the 1985/86 session.

Investigations by the police continue.