A staff member of the Delta State Judiciary, Louisa Obed-Iyama, has firmly denied allegations of forgery, impersonation, and diversion of funds made against her by the family of the late Harriman Isa Oyofo. She described the claims as “patently false, sensational, and aimed at destroying her career.”

Obed-Iyama, through her lawyer, James Babatunde Alara, clarified that she is a legitimate employee of the judiciary’s probate section, where she currently serves as an Assistant Chief Registrar II. She maintained that she has never presented herself as the Probate Registrar, contrary to the claims circulating in public.

No Direct Dealings With Oyofo Family, Lawyer Says

Her lawyer stated that Obed-Iyama had no direct contact with the children of the late Oyofo and could not have impersonated any official within the probate unit.

The Oyofo family had accused her of collecting ₦3 million for a probate letter that was allegedly never issued and of diverting an alleged ₦300 million linked to probate operations. Alara dismissed the accusations as baseless and “strange,” stressing that payments made through the probate section follow a transparent and traceable process.

“Applicants may pay directly into designated government bank accounts or through POS machines. All such payments are forwarded to government coffers and receipts issued. It is strange that a sum as large as ₦300,000,000 could be diverted without a trace,” he said.

He also questioned whether the Oyofo children were alleging they personally paid such an amount or claiming that the public had done so. “That allegation is not only false but dramatically sensational,” he added.

₦3 Million Payment Was Duly Remitted — Lawyer

Alara confirmed that the ₦3 million paid by the solicitors representing the Oyofo estate was properly remitted to the government’s account and can be verified through official records.

He alleged that Obed-Iyama had become a target for the late Oyofo’s son, Nurudeen Oyofo, whom he said is embroiled in a long-running dispute with the executor of the estate.

“Our client has become a pawn in the hands of the said children, especially one Nurudeen Oyofo, who is locked in a battle with their father’s executor,” Alara stated.

Judiciary Investigated, Later Reinstated Staff Member

He revealed that the judiciary had internally investigated the allegations and temporarily reassigned Obed-Iyama to ensure impartiality. Following the completion of the investigation, she was reinstated — only for the allegations to resurface publicly.

“This is a clear case of the apocryphal saying: the witch cried in the night and the child died the next morning. It is our view that this publication is an attempt to punish our client,” he said.

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Background

SaharaReporters earlier reported that the family of the late Harriman Isa Oyofo accused Obed-Iyama of presenting herself as the Registrar of the Delta State Probate Office to collect ₦3 million for a probate letter that was never issued.

Oyofo, the CEO and Chairman of Mann Safety, a health, safety, and loss-control company, was also a consultant to DESOPADEC. He had been facing trial over alleged involvement in a fraudulent scheme exceeding ₦100 million, to which he pleaded not guilty.

Some of his children alleged that the estate’s sole executor, lawyer Godfrey Arubayi, was working with Obed-Iyama and others within the probate system to manipulate probate documents and divert funds. They said the alleged fraud began shortly after their father’s death on October 27, 2023, when they initiated the probate process from abroad.

According to them, their legal representatives informed them that the probate office required ₦3 million for a probate letter and provided a receipt. However, they claimed subsequent checks showed the payment had been made into a private company account allegedly linked to Obed-Iyama.

They further alleged that Obed-Iyama initially introduced herself as an assistant registrar but later admitted she had misrepresented her position.