Hon. Mkpa Oju Uka Denies UK Drug, Fraud Allegations, Describes Report as False and Malicious
Former Deputy Mayor of Ohafia Local Government Area, Hon. Mkpa Oju Uka, has dismissed as false and malicious the social media report alleging that he was involved in drug trafficking, mortgage fraud, and is currently in prison custody in London.
In a statement made available to ABN TV, Hon. Uka said his attention was drawn to a publication by Ndi Abia on Facebook, which he described as “a deliberate attempt to destroy my reputation and mislead the public.”
“Ordinarily, I would have ignored such baseless fabrications, but for the sake of truth, public record, and to protect my integrity, it has become necessary to set the facts straight,” he said.
Hon. Uka explained that he moved to the United Kingdom in April 1999 from Lomé, Togo, where he had been residing and working. Upon settling in England, he worked with a used clothing company, overseeing sorting and grading of goods for export to West Africa. He later worked as a customer service adviser in a retail company while trading in used clothing and shoes on a part-time basis.
Through years of hard work, savings, and financial support from family and friends, Uka said he was able to raise a mortgage deposit to buy his first property in 2005. With further support from Nigeria, he and his wife later purchased a second property, partly financed by remortgaging the first one.
He revealed that his encounter with the National Crime Agency (NCA) began in 2017, when he received correspondence notifying him that his properties were subject to a court freezing order. According to him, he voluntarily honoured the NCA’s invitation, attended interviews, and presented detailed documentation proving the legitimate sources of his income.
Uka stated that it was later discovered that the mortgage brokers who handled his applications were under investigation, leading to a wider probe of all clients they had served, including himself.
He said that in 2019, the NCA applied for a summary judgment, which the court granted purely on mortgage documentation issues, not on any drug or criminal allegation. “Importantly, the court dismissed all claims linking me or my family to drug trafficking or criminal activity, citing lack of evidence,” he added.
Dissatisfied with the judgment, Hon. Uka said he filed an appeal in July 2018, and during the process, the NCA’s legal representatives proposed an out-of-court settlement. “After negotiations, a mutual settlement agreement was reached in September 2019, and a consent order was signed by both parties. The appeal was withdrawn, and the matter was amicably resolved,” he explained.
“At no point was I arrested, detained, charged, or imprisoned,” he emphasized, describing the allegations as “false, mischievous, and politically motivated.”
Hon. Uka stated that he has since moved on with his career and currently works as a qualified and registered Mental Health Nurse with a leading private mental health hospital in London. He noted that he has never been involved in any form of drug dealing, fraud, or criminal activity.
He called on the general public to disregard the publication in its entirety and urged those behind the falsehood to retract it immediately and tender a public apology, warning that he would take legal action if the defamation persists.
