An Osun State Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Osogbo, the State capital, has issued arrest warrants against the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc and three of its top officials over the alleged illegal operation and maintenance of bank accounts belonging to the state’s 30 local government councils.
The warrants were issued in a case filed by the Osun State Government and marked Charge No: MOS/601c/2025, following the defendants’ alleged failure to honour court summons.
In a certified true copy of the order titled “Warrant for Arrest of Defendant Who Has Disobeyed Summons (General Title – Form No. 1)”, the court directed the Osun State Commissioner of Police to arrest and produce the defendants before the court.
According to the order, the defendants allegedly allowed unauthorised individuals to operate and maintain bank accounts opened in the name of the 30 local government councils in Osun State.
The court noted that although the defendants were duly served with summons, they failed to appear, prompting the issuance of arrest warrants.
“You are hereby commanded to bring the defendant(s) before the Magistrate’s Court forthwith to answer to the said complaint or be further dealt with according to law,” the order read.
The defendants listed in the suit are United Bank for Africa Plc, its Group Managing Director, Mr Oliver Alawuba; the Company Secretary and Group Legal Adviser, Mr Billy Odum; and the Deputy Managing Director, Mr Chukwuma Nweke.
According to the charge sheet, the Osun State Government filed a 31-count charge against the bank and its officials, with each count linked to the alleged unlawful opening and operation of accounts for the state’s 30 local government councils.
In Count One, the prosecution alleged that the defendants, on or about December 9, 2025, and on subsequent dates, conspired to commit a felony by opening, operating, and maintaining what it described as illegal local government council accounts at UBA’s Osun State branch in the Olonkoro area of Osogbo.
The offence is said to be contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume 2, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
The defendants were further accused of permitting unknown private individuals to act as signatories to the accounts, despite the Osun State Local Government Service Commission formally introducing Directors of Administration and General Services, as well as Directors of Finance, as the authorised signatories to the councils’ statutory accounts.
The prosecution said the alleged actions violated Sections 2 and 3(1) and (2) and are punishable under Section 5(1) and (2) of the Osun State Local Government Accounts Administration Law, 2025.
Court documents show that the remaining counts relate to similar allegations involving all 30 local government councils in the state.
At the last sitting in December 2025, the Chief Magistrate, Mr A. A. Adeyeba, ordered that the defendants be served through substituted means, including their official email addresses and newspaper publications.
The matter has now been adjourned to February 10, 2026, for trial.
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