Lawmaker Clarifies Petition Against Former Presidential Aide Obono-Obla

Yakurr I State Constituency lawmaker in the Cross River State House of Assembly, Cyril Omini, has explained that his petition against former presidential aide Okoi Obono-Obla was not solely over allegations of certificate forgery.

In a statement on Saturday, Omini said his complaint to the police focused primarily on defamation and what he described as “malicious fabrication of criminal allegations” against him.

The Cross River State Police Command confirmed on Friday the arrest of Obono-Obla in Ugep over alleged forgery and obtaining entry into the legal profession under false pretences. The command dismissed claims that the former presidential adviser was abducted, insisting that the arrest was conducted lawfully.

Omini said he was compelled to address what he termed “misinformation” surrounding the arrest. He alleged that Obono-Obla had publicly accused him of sponsoring cult activities and causing a person’s death.

“These are not mere insults or expressions of political discontent. They are grave criminal accusations that strike at the core of my character, my integrity, and my humanity,” Omini said.

He recalled that on August 7, 2025, Obono-Obla allegedly led police officers to his residence in Ugep around 3 a.m., claiming he was harbouring cultists and kidnappers. The operation, according to Omini, led to the arrest of his security guard, Ebri Edet Ubi, who was later taken to Calabar, and resulted in damage to his property.

Omini further alleged that on October 6, 2025, Obono-Obla publicly linked him to cult-related violence and actions that led to a person’s death.

“For reasons understandable to every father and son, I initially refrained from taking action. I hoped for a retraction, for reason to prevail, and that the man I had called father would remember the son he was seeking to destroy. But the allegations persisted, spreading across communities and social media, poisoning minds and inciting tension,” Omini said.

The lawmaker said he eventually filed a formal complaint, emphasizing that he “did not seek an arrest” but wanted the truth.

“The arrest of Chief Okoi Obono-Obla was not my doing. It resulted from standard police procedure following a formal complaint. I have neither the power nor the desire to dictate law enforcement operations. My petition was never only about certificate forgery but also about defamation of character and malicious fabrication of criminal allegations,” he added.

Omini expressed readiness to face any investigation, saying: “If I am guilty of the crimes he accused me of, let the law take its course. But if I am innocent, as I am, I ask only that the truth prevail.”

Obono-Obla’s Past Controversies
Obono-Obla was appointed in 2016 by former President Muhammadu Buhari as Special Assistant to the President (Prosecution) at the Federal Ministry of Justice and later chaired the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property.

In August 2019, he was suspended following an investigation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) into alleged record falsification and financial impropriety. The ICPC declared him wanted in October 2019 for failing to honour invitations related to fraud and corruption allegations.

He was arrested in March 2020 and rearraigned in 2021 over an alleged N10.1 million fraud and charges related to falsification and forgery of school records. The agency accused him of forging O-Level results to gain admission to study law at the University of Jos during the 1985/86 academic session.