How house-help, others claimed late NNPC staff’s estate
The Gambian, Sonia, rather than repay the acts of kindness by Data, connived with some ad hoc and permanent staff of the corporation’s Human Resources Department to falsify her next-of-kin list in her confidential file to impersonate Mrs. Esther Alaba Don-Pedro and Ann Don-Pedro, the mother and younger sibling of the deceased, which is now […]
The Gambian, Sonia, rather than repay the acts of kindness by Data, connived with some ad hoc and permanent staff of the corporation’s Human Resources Department to falsify her next-of-kin list in her confidential file to impersonate Mrs. Esther Alaba Don-Pedro and Ann Don-Pedro, the mother and younger sibling of the deceased, which is now at the centre of an emerging legal battle between her and other blood relatives of the deceased.
After 32 years, Data earned the position which she held until death. According to a death certificate issued by Eko Hospital Lagos on June 14, 2011 signed by Dr Adebajo, M., she died of cardiac arrest at the age of 55. She was unmarried and had no biological child but had an adopted son, Senebo, who resides in Lagos with her surviving mother. After Data’s burial in August, 2011 in Abonnema Rivers State, Sonia (now Mrs. Iwuoha), who knows that the deceased’s siblings are all outside Abuja, moved quickly to alter the next-of-kin list and got paid the initial N6 million meant to cover burial expenses by the NNPC through a bank. She followed up by applying to the Lagos High Court Probate Registry for a Letter of Administration through a letter dated August 8, 2011 where she claimed to be a daughter of the deceased.
Sonia had direct connivance of Miss Adaba Blessing Lawson, a distant cousin of the deceased whom she also trained at the Babcock University, accommodated and helped get posted to the Twin Towers’ Human Resources Department for her National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) alongside her friend Miss Adetorora Idowu. Together they hatched the plan in cahoots with one Hajara Abdulsami and Dr. Opribo Lawson, a staff and former staff of the corporation, respectively.
Under the intestacy law for one who was single, Mrs. Esther Don-Pedro, the 86-year-old mother of the deceased, should be the major beneficiary of the estate, followed by the adopted child and the siblings who are: Miss Ann Don-Pedro (who is challenged by hearing impairment), Lagos; Mr George Don-Pedro, USA; and Dr (Mrs) Oluta Don-Pedro-Ahdoot, in that order.
Astonishingly, Sonia capitalised on the unavailability of the deceased’s blood relatives and the handicap of those in the country, who are natural and legal successors to her estate, to pull off a major identity fraud in a public institution.
A copy of the next-of-kin list made available to Weekly Trust shows alterations in the names placed on the list. Sonia’s name was used to replace the deceased mother’s name in July, 2011 in the first alteration. In another alteration this February, Ann’s name had Adaba’s phone number super-imposed beside it to position her for in-coming calls in expectation of the payment of the deceased’s gratuity, said to be a handsome sum. The third name in the list, Belema, a niece to the deceased was changed to Senebo, a ploy also adopted to void his succession claims since he is only a minor.
The conspirators were also alleged to have broken into the properties of the deceased in Abuja and Lagos where they carted away items including valuable documents and jeweleries.
Keyamo Chambers, the firm handling the case, also petitioned the Inspector-General of Police in a letter dated October 26, 2011. The case was eventually assigned to the IGP Monitoring Unit who swung into action and arrested Adaba at Hajara’s residence at Gaduwa Estate after over three months of a written inquiry to the NNPC requesting for next-of-kin documents of the deceased was ignored. During interrogation, she confirmed that Sonia had fled the country to Dubai.
Responding to inquiries by Weekly Trust, the Force Public Relations Officer, Olusegun Amore, said they are yet to conclude investigations, adding that he can only comment after the conclusion of investigation.
On their part, George Don-Pedro and Dr. Oluta Don-Pedro Ahdoot, who both spoke with Weekly Trust, said they want to see justice done. “We are not just interested in the gratuity but the principles behind this process. We have been raped by these criminals who have no right in our family estate. The government should hold them responsible for their actions.”
However, efforts made to speak with the NNPC through the Group Public Affairs Department were not successful, even as a letter dated March 1, 2012 requesting clarification on the development was not replied.