A Christ Embassy pastor and his wife have been declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Chief Executive Officer of Baraza Multipurpose Cooperative, a Bayelsa-based ponzi scheme, Pastor (Dr) Miebi Bribena (full name: Onyimiebi Bribena) and his wife, Beatrice Bribena were declared wanted for allegedly defrauding Nigerians to the tune of N2 billion.
Pastor Bribena, who is a pastor at Christ Embassy Kumasi 1, Ghana, fled Nigeria last year after failing to pay investors their return on investment (ROI), leading to protests in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
Pastor Bribena had alleged that some staff of the cooperative compromised its systems by defrauding the organisation of over N300million, adding that the organisation was carrying out a forensic audit to enable it pay backlog of unpaid surpluses to the investors and members, a promise that was never fulfilled.
The Bribenas are the promoters of Baraza Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited.
“We are dedicated to improving members’ lives via financial empowerment, business financing, thrift & credit, housing, scholarship, etc”, its profile reads.
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Bribena, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain in Bayelsa State, is pastor at Christ Embassy Church.
He is accused of scamming thousands of billions of naira after promising a 25 percent Return on Investment (ROI) monthly.
In 2021, the victims repeatedly visited the company’s headquarters on Otiotio Road in Yenagoa to seek a refund. The EFCC has sealed the building.
The company also has branches in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers capital, and some other parts of the country.
Last July, Bribena released a video to debunk speculations that his health and business were failing.
“Ignore such news. If I did not faint since, is it now that I will faint? I don’t know whether some people are angry that Baraza could bounce back”, he said.
A statement signed by Wilson Uwujaren, Head, Media & Publicity of EFCC partly reads:
“Bribena and Beatrice are both natives of Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
“Their last known address is: No 163 Mbiama Yenagoa Road, Biogbolo, Bayelsa State.
“Anybody with useful information as to their whereabouts should please contact the Commission in its Benin, Kaduna, lbadan, Sokoto, Gombe, Maiduguri, Makurdi, llorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt and Abuja offices or through these numbers 09-9044751-3, 0B093322644, 08183322644, 070-26350721-3, 070-6350724-5; Its e-mail address: info@efcc.gov.ng or the nearest Police Station and other security agencies.”