Published 25th May, 2022

By Joseph Adeiye

Some workers at the Federal Fire Service (FFS) have accused Whitehorse Capital Ltd. of refusing to deliver vehicles to them after receiving millions of naira in payment.

The aggrieved workers said they signed an agreement with Whitehorse in September 2020 for the purchase of some automobiles and paid millions of naira as down payment.

“After FFS staff signed the agreement with Whitehorse, I paid in two tranches of N650,000 and N65,000. I paid the initial N650,000 into the Heritage Bank account belonging to Whitehorse Capital Ltd. on September 18, 2020. The second tranche of N65,000, a statutory 5 percent commission, went to the Polaris Bank account belonging to one Ezekiel Best. Ezekiel Best was an assistant to the CEO of Whitehorse,” an FFS staff member who asked not to be named said.

FIJ learned that Whitehorse was supposed to deliver the vehicles to FFS staff members on November 4, 2020, but Whitehorse changed the delivery date several times before promising May 17, 2021. Over a year past the new delivery deadline, nothing has been done.

Over 50 staff members of FFS Abuja paid between N700,000 and N1.4 million each for the supply of various brands of cars, FIJ learned. One of the affected workers said the Dr Ibrahim Alhaji Liman-led management of FFS was aware of Whitehorse’s default, but rather than act in their favour, it discouraged the affected workers from asking for their money.

“We hear subtle threats from the management,” he said.

FIJ sent messages to Whitehorse and the Federal Fire Service, but neither of them had responded at press time.

Also, Paul Ndi Oyemike, Chief Executive Officer of Whitehorse Group Ltd., did not respond to an email sent to him, and his phone was switched off when FIJ called him.

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