NCJTFLCA Demands Retraction, Apology Over Report Alleging Board Members Refused Police Invitation
By Arikawe Femi
The Board of Trustees of the National Compliance Joint Taskforce of Licensed Clearing Agents (NCJTFLCA) has demanded the immediate retraction and public apology over a publication by The Reporter Diary.com alleging that some of its officials refused to honour a police invitation over allegations of forgery, cyberstalking and blackmail.
The publication, titled “Police Intelligence Department Summons Six NCJTFLCA Officials Over Alleged Forgery, Cyber Stalking, Blackmail,” was reportedly published on July 31, 2026.
In a rejoinder issued by the Board, the NCJTFLCA described the report as false, misleading and prejudicial, arguing that it presented an inaccurate account of an ongoing dispute involving members of its Board of Trustees and Chief Basil Chudi Nwaolisa.
According to the Board, the dispute dates back to April 2026, when Nwaolisa, who was then serving as Interim National President of the organisation, was issued a query over allegations of misconduct, including alleged corruption and abuse of office.
The Board alleged that his response to the query contained what it described as “impertinent” statements and threats against members of the Board.
It further alleged that Nwaolisa later attended a Board meeting at Mambo Hotel, Festac, accompanied by six armed police officers from Area E Police Command, an action the Board said it considered intimidating.
Following the development, the Board said it suspended Nwaolisa from his position as Interim National President and appointed an Acting National President pending the resolution of the issues.
The Board subsequently lodged a complaint before the Federal Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Alagbon, Lagos, stating that it wanted the allegations arising from the dispute to be investigated by the appropriate authorities.
The NCJTFLCA claimed that Nwaolisa was subsequently invited by the FCID, Alagbon, but did not honour the invitation.
The organisation further alleged that another invitation was subsequently issued by the Federal Investigation Department (FID), Abuja, to some members of its Board over allegations contained in a petition.
However, the Board said it petitioned the Inspector-General of Police over the circumstances surrounding the different petitions and requested that they be consolidated and investigated by the FCID, Alagbon, Lagos.
According to the NCJTFLCA, the Inspector-General of Police subsequently directed that the petitions be consolidated and reverted to the FCID, Alagbon, for investigation.
The Board therefore rejected the claim that its members deliberately refused to cooperate with the police, maintaining that their position was based on the directive concerning the consolidation and investigation of the petitions.
“The Board of Trustees members named in your publication are men of honour and integrity and did not, and will not, refuse to honour any lawful invitation by police for investigation,” the organisation stated.
The Board also maintained that the NCJTFLCA remained committed to transparency, accountability, compliance with the law and due process.
It said it had no intention of interfering with or obstructing any legitimate investigation by law-enforcement authorities.
The organisation further cautioned against presenting a police invitation as evidence of criminal guilt, stressing that an invitation for questioning or investigation does not amount to a conviction or finding of guilt.
The NCJTFLCA accused the publication of failing to adequately establish the status of the various petitions and directives before publishing the report, saying the story created an impression capable of damaging the reputation of the organisation and the affected Board members.
The Board has consequently demanded that The Reporter Diary.com withdraw the publication from all platforms under its control within 24 hours of receiving its letter.
It also demanded an unreserved public apology and clarification to the NCJTFLCA and the affected individuals, with prominence reasonably equivalent to that of the original publication.
The organisation further demanded that the publication cease and desist from disseminating the allegations or substantially similar claims concerning the affected individuals unless such reports are supported by verified facts and presented fairly.
The Board warned that failure to comply with its demands within the stipulated 24-hour period could lead to further legal action to protect the reputation and interests of the organisation and affected individuals.
The NCJTFLCA reiterated that it remained willing to cooperate with lawful investigations by relevant government and security agencies and insisted that its position should not be interpreted as opposition to legitimate police investigations.
