NUBIFIE crisis deepens as 2 groups fight over leadership

The crisis rocking the National Union of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institution Employees (NUBIFIE) has deepened, with two groups laying claims to the leadership of the union, while throwing accusation and counter accusation of Impersonating.

This has subsequently led to the arrest and detention of the union President, Comrade Danjuma Musa, for over a week before he was eventually released.

A statement released by the General Secretary of NUBIFIE, Comrade Muhammad Ishiyaku Sheikh last Thursday said Comrade Musa, the national president of NUBIFIE has been detained for a week.

This according to him followed the activities of a group,  led by Mr Odiaka Nwanji, who allegedly led a team of Police officers from FCT Police Command to arrest the NUBIFIE president.

But an earlier statement issued in Abuja last week Sunday and signed by Comrade Odiaka Jude Nwanji, who also claimed to be the Acting General Secretary of NUBIFIE, said the union had indeed petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, seeking the arrest and prosecution of two of its former national executive members over allegation of frauds running into N30 million.

The statement by Nwanji claimed that the two executive officers have been duly suspended from office, adding that the issue of fraud led to their arrest, and this cannot be interpreted as politically motivated arrest.

However, the latest statement sent to our correspondent from the national secretariat of NUBIFIE last Thursday and signed by Comrade Ishiyaku, claimed that those who masterminded the arrest of the national president by the police were impersonators.

He drew the attention of the Police High Command to the development and called for thorough investigation of the issue.

Comrade’s Ishiyaku statement read: “Following the detention of our National President, Comrade Danjuma Musa for a week now, we wish to draw the attention of the general public and in particular the Nigeria Police High Command to an ongoing attempt by some persons impersonating the office of the General Secretary of the union and using the police authority to harass and intimidate the leadership of the union.

“The arrow head of these persons (All of who are none members of the union) is Mr Odiaka Nwanji, an ex-dispatch rider with a bank. He led a team of police officers from FCT Police Command SARS to arrest the National President of our union, Comrade Musa on May 11, 2017, and is still being held incommunicado as at the time of issuing this press statement when our lawyer access him.”

The statement claimed that Nwanji and his group were not members of the union, and  have gone to two separate Courts of competent jurisdiction and on each occasion their case was dismissed.

Comrade Isiyaku further explained that during the last dismissal of their case by the court, there was a heavy fine of N550,000 against them in favour of the union.

The statement read: “The Odiaka led impostors are desperate to access power through the backdoor by employing the services of Abuja FCT police Command SARS in an attempt to intimidate and bully the national president to submission by attempting to coerce him to resign and abdicate his mandate as the president of the union.

“The union has its Constitution that!regulates and guide how processes on all matters are treated including access to leadership position or exit from such position.

“Therefore, the union will resist any attempt from any quarter to impose or determine who should be the leader of the union, not least by people who are not only non-members but do not have locus in the first place to dictate to the union on any matter whatsoever.”