Cross River: Journalist In Police Net Over N6.5m Fraud

From Musa Kutama, Calabar

The Nigeria Police, Zone 6 Command Headquarters in Calabar, have commenced investigation into allegations by the Cross River State Chief Vehicle Inspection Officer CVIO, Engineer Ojen Okoi Ayang, that a staff of the State-owned media outfit CRBC, named Ursula Onah Agbor, has allegedly defrauded him of N6,580,000 under the pretext that he will assist him to facilitate the purchase of vehicles and refurbishment of his office, by the Cross River State Governor, Prince Bassey Otu.

In an affidavit deposed to by Engineer Okoi, obtained by CrossRiverWatch, the CVIO is alleging that, he met Ursula Onah Agbor sometimes in March, 2025 when she visited him in his office to appeal on behalf of her brother, Mr. Agbor Samuel Agbor, who absconded from work.

That Ursula Onah Agbor introduced herself to him as the Confidential Media Adviser to the Governor of Cross River State, Prince Bassey Edet Otu. A position that doesn’t exist in the State.

That when she looked around and saw the state of his office, she advised that he applied for funds from the Governor to enable him refurbish the office, since the office does not befit his status, and that she was going to facilitate the process to ensure that the money is released.

The CVIO claimed that he showed Ursula Agbor the letters he had earlier written to the Governor for six (6) operational vehicles and funds to equip the office which had not been responded to, believing that she would be able to facilitate his application for funds from the Governor, considering her position which she purports to occupy as Confidential Media Adviser to His Excellency. Ursula Agbor then promised to meet and re-present his letters to the Governor and the Chief of Staff as soon as possible.

Engineer Okoi, who also doubles as a Director of Road Traffic Services in Cross River State, further avered that, after about a week, he received a call on his mobile phone from Ursula Onah Agbor that the sum of N30,000,000.00 (Thirty Million Naira only), has been approved by the Governor through her effort for the purchase of two vehicles and to effect repairs in his office.

But Ursula however, claimed that 10% of the N30,000,000.00 was demanded by Governor Bassey Otu himself, payable through his Chief of Staff, and must be paid up front to facilitate the release of the approved sum.

The CVIO claimed that, out of the urgent need and desire to deliver on his role and duty, between June and July 2025, he made a total payment of N4,790,000 in several tranches to Ursula Onah Agbor, for the facilitation and additional payments to the tune of N1,790,000 for “PR” which she demanded as compensation for her effort.

The bank transfer documents and screenshots of the WhatsApp conversations between Ursula Agbor and the CVIO, have also been obtained by CrossRiverWatch.

Our correspondent gathered that the Police at the Zone 6 Headquarters, after investigating the petition by the CVIO, have recovered N850,000.00 from Ursula Agbor, but upon invitation by the Police to retrieve the recovered money, the Police also presented to the CVIO, a petition written against him by Ursula Agbor, for defamation of character and threat occasioning bodily harm. The Police are yet to commence investigation on the petition.

Ursula Agbor who has absconded from work and from Cross River State for a prolonged period, ostensibly to evade personal service of court summons in another criminal charge filed against her in the High Court of Cross River State, has been embroiled in multiple controversies and accused of serially harassing and intimidating innocent persons in the State.

Ursula Agbor was not immediately available for comments as at the time of filing this report but extra effort is being made to reach her.