₦airaland Forum

Innoson vs GT Bank: Debunking the Lies and Smear Campaigns

After the immediate release of the illegal and unlawful arrest of Chief Dr Innocent Chukwuma OFR popularly known as Innoson by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC on December 20, 2017, there have been two major publications on the Innoson vs GTB saga. One was written by one James Osaremen and published by Premium Times on Dec 20th 2017 with the caption- Innoson EFCC arrest and the GTB Loan: The facts behind the saga. The other was published by Sahara Reporters on Dec 23rd 2017 with the caption- Innoson vs GT Bank: How Industrialist Defrauded Bank And Bullied The EFCC, The Police And Courts With his Political Connections.

The facts stated in these two publications are filled with half-truths, fabrications, false allegations and mis-representation of facts. At first we wanted to ignore and wait for the outcome of the supposed investigation by the EFCC on GTB complaint on Innoson. But in this social media era where silence may be seen as an admission of guilty as charged, we have deem it fit to present with factual evidence the true story on all the allegations raised on the two publications.

INTRODUCTION

Under letter of credit transaction, in international trade, bills of ladings are consigned to Banks not because the Banks – consignees – are the owners of the goods but rather that ensures that the seller is paid and the buyer receives the goods.

Mere consignment or endorsement of a bill of lading does not confer title in the goods covered by the bill of lading to either the consignee or the endorsee. Where consignment or endorsement of a bill of lading is intended as a security for loan, consignment or endorsement in such circumstance, does not transfer title in the goods to the consignee or the endorsee: Sewell v. Burdick (1884) 10 APP CAS 74; J.F. Wilson: Carriage of Goods by Sea, 5th Edition, page 135, paragraph c.

NOTE: All Innoson’s letter of credit transactions, through GTB, where confirmed LCs. In letter of credit transactions (LC), particularly but not exclusively confirmed LC, the term is cash against documents. Shipping documents are not released by the advising/correspondent Bank to the Issuing Bank until the Issuing Bank pays for the goods. At all material times, Innoson paid 25% of every LC value before it was opened.

GTB’s LOAN TO INNOSON AND THE SECURITY
GTB never granted any loan of N2.4Billion to Innoson in 2009 but rather a loan of N500Million through its offer letter of 17th December, 2009. The last loan transaction between GTB and Innoson was in 2011. Thus, through its letter of 2nd March, 2011 GTB offered a loan of N1.7Billion to Innoson. The principle terms and security for this loan were: Legal/Tripartite Legal Mortgage over Innoson’s properties valued at N1.1Billion in 2010 by GTB appointed valuers; 25% equity contribution by Innoson on each letter of credit (LC) transaction; and shipping documents worth N500Million shall be released at any point in time to Innoson.

From the offer letter of 2nd March, 2011 the following are clear:

a. Innoson contributed 25% of the N1.7Billion. By this Innoson contributed N425Million and GTB N1Billion, 285Million;

b. the N1Billion, 285Million which GTB lent to Innoson was secured with Innoson’s properties valued at N1.1Billion in 2010 and by necessary calculation in 2011 the value of the properties were valued at over N1.3Billion.

GTB’S FRAUD
As could be seen from the introduction above:

a. the shipping documents referred to in the offer letter of 2nd March, 2011 are at best, security for the loan and as such did not transfer title to any good covered by it to GTB. Therefore, GTB is not the owner of the goods evidenced by them and title in the goods did not pass to it.

b. since in a letter of credit transactions, shipping documents – bill of lading – cannot be released except cash (the price of the goods) is paid, for every bill of lading consigned to GTB, Innoson paid 25% of its value before it is released to GTB.

The statement by James Osaremen and Sahara Reporters that the goods belong to GTB shows that from the beginning GTB was out to defraud Innoson and this is demonstrated thus:

a. 25% of the price of all the goods were paid for by Innoson and if upon consignment the goods belong to GTB it means that GTB had taken what Innoson paid in respect of the goods. What a cheat!!;

b. Innoson gave the title documents of its properties worthing over N1.4Billion to GTB as security and denied itself the use of it.

Therefore, from the loan transaction GTB got the following:

Innoson’s properties
Innoson’s N425Million contribution;
and the goods.

EFCC’s INVESTIGATION IN 2011 AND THE OUTCOME
In September 2011, GTB through a letter to EFCC, alleged that Innoson defrauded it about N1.4Billion out of a loan transaction it had with it. EFCC investigated the allegation and discovered the following:

GTB stole N560Million from Innoson’s current account with it – though Innoson maintained that GTB stole N780Million from its account;

Innoson collected all the Bills of Lading consigned to GTB with the consent of GTB;

before collection, Innoson wrote letters to GTB asking it to endorse the bill of ladings to it and to pay the duties necessary for clearing the goods from the seaport;

GTB paid Customs duties for all the bill of ladings Innoson used to clear the goods, including the ones GTB claimed were forged or that the signatures of its staff thereon were forged;

GTB released all the Bill of Ladings including the one in issue to Innoson and that Innoson signed for each of the bill of Ladings in a register kept by GTB – GTB released the Bill of Lading after Innoson signed the register;

GTB failed to produce the register claiming that it was destroyed by the fire that razed its office;

after clearing each good including the ones evidenced by the bill of lading in issue, Innoson returned the foreign exchange control copies to GTB and GTB transmitted them to Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN);

a GTB staff – Mr. Okechukwu Okeke – who transacted with Innoson’s staff gave evidence that he released the bill of ladings in issue to Innoson’s staff;

the shipping company – Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd. – whose ship carried the goods confirmed that the bill of ladings – including the ones in issue – were not forged and that none of GTB’s staff’s signatures endorsed thereon was forged.

Consequently, through its letter of 20th September, 2012 (copy enclosed) EFCC informed Innoson that “further to our investigation and resolve that your account be reconciled from inception, the final outcome of the Commission’s reconciliation of the account” is that you are indebted to GTB in this matter, and therein, EFCC requested Innoson to pay about N1Billion to GTB. EFCC never stated in that letter that Innoson forged any shipping document or GTB’s staff’s signatures thereon to clear the goods evidenced by the bill of ladings.

Innoson rejected and declined EFCC’s demand contained in its letter of 20th September, 2012 on the ground that GTB shall pay it interest on the N560Million at 22% being the rate at which GTB lent it money. This resulted in a stalemate and Innoson headed to the court.

JUDGEMENTS AGAINST GUARANTY TRUST BANK (GTB)
Consequently, Innoson commenced Suit No: FHC/AWK/CS/139/2012 against GTB at the Federal High Court, Akwa Division, in respect of the money GTB stole from its account claiming 22% interest thereon from the date GTB started the stealing. In this suit, GTB was represented by an eminent Senior Advocate of Nigeria. However, on 16th May, 2013 the trial Court rendered judgment in the sum of N4.7Billion in favour of Innoson against GTB.

GTB appealed against the judgment to the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division, vide Appeal No: CA/I/288/2013. In this appeal, on 9th December, 2013 the Court of Appeal ordered GTB to pay the judgment debt which then stood at about N6 Billion into an interest yielding account. (The Court of Appeal’s order is enclosed.)

Again, on the 29th July, 2011 in Suit No: FHC/L/CS/603/2006, the Federal High Court, Ibadan Division, ordered GTB – by way of Garnishee order absolute – to pay over N2 Billion to Innoson. Rather than pay to Innoson, GTB appealed to the Court of Appeal, Ibadan Division, vis – Appeal No: CA/I/258/2011. However, in a unanimous decision on 6th February, 2014, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal and ordered GTB to pay the ordered sum of over N2 Billion to Innoson.

Rather than pay the judgment debt to Innoson, GTB deposed in paragraphs 3 – 7 of an affidavit it filed on 12th December, 2014 at the Court of Appeal (copy enclosed) that if it pays the judgment debt, it will collapse and be out of business.

Also, interestingly, GTB commenced Suit No: FHC/L/CS/1119/2014 against Innoson at the Federal High Court, Lagos Division and thereat, through an ex parte order, frozen Innoson’s account in 18 Banks in Nigeria for 9 months. However, in a considered judgment delivered on 10th June, 2015 the learned trial Judge dismissed the suit and set aside the ex parte order.

INNOSON’S PENDING SUITS
SUIT NO: FHC/ABJ/CS/68/2014 – During the police investigation of GTB’s allegation, Innoson discovered that GTB was influencing the investigation through one Mrs Onabolu. Thus, in paragraph 12(a)-(b) of the statement of claim, Innoson averred that:

during the currency of the handwriting/signature analysis/Forensic test, the Bank through its Solicitor Mrs. Onabolu in conjunction with the 3rd Defendant were in constant communication and association with the unit or the party or person or group of persons particularly but not exclusive to Retired DSP Ayo who conducted the investigation or forensic test or handwriting analysis; and the 1st – 3rd Defendants influenced the test/analysis and its expected outcome or result;

at the trial, the Plaintiffs will rely on the call logs of calls/conversation messages between Mrs. Onabolu, the 3rd Defendant and Retired DSP Ayo through their various mobile telephone numbers which include but not limited to 08027825760, 08037018448, 08033015977, 08129131499.”

To ensure that justice is done, Innoson prayed in this suit that the court orders that the forensic examination of the specimen signatures of the persons involved be conducted by an independent body like FBI or Scotland Yard. Hence, in paragraph 4 of the writ of summons (copy enclosed) Innoson claimed thus:

“An order of mandatory injunction mandating the 1st – 3rd Defendants either by themselves, agents, privies, servants, affiliates to send the various specimen signatures they collected from parties with the one in issue to either FBI or Scotland Yard for forensic analysis/test.”

Interestingly, Innoson’s above claim which is not offensive was stoutly opposed by the GTB and the police.

CHARGE NO: FHC/L/565/2015 – This Charge was commenced in December, 2015 in this present regime and not in Goodluck Jonathan’s regime as GTB and Sahara Reporters falsely stated. At the investigating stage of the GTB’s allegations which led to this Charge, the then Inspector General of Police – MD Abubakar – was very angry and disappointed when he discovered that: there was a register kept by GTB in which Innoson’s staff signed for and collected all the Bills of Ladings including the ones in dispute and that GTB claimed it could not produce the register because it was destroyed by fire; a GTB staff – Mr Okechukwu Okeke – who dealt with Innoson’s staff in respect of the Bill of Ladings gave evidence to the police that he gave Innoson’s staff the Bill of Ladings in issue and that they signed for them in the GTB’s register. Consequently, the then IGP ordered that the case be closed and subsequently warned its men and GTB and concomitantly apologised to Innoson for the embarrassment his men caused him. He also ordered for a reinvestigation.

However, given the retirement of MD Abubakar – the then IGP – and change of guard, GTB, characteristically – convinced police officers who were not aware of the outcome of the investigation to file Charge No: FHC/L/565C/2015. Nonetheless, when the police became aware of the real and true facts and the directive of the then IGP – MD Abubakar –, it withdrew the Charge, through its notice of withdrawal dated 17th February, 2016 duly filed at the Federal High Court Registry (copy enclosed) and in the notice stated that the police needed “to further investigate the case”.

On being aware of this withdrawal, again, GTB characteristically got the then Director of Public Prosecution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria – Mr Diri – to claim to have taken over the Charge/case using the name of the Attorney General of the Federation. Interestingly, Mr Diri’s involvement in this matter and his complicities therein led to his removal as the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

INNOSON’S WITHDRAWAL OF FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS CASE AGAINST EFCC
On 20th December, 2017, Innoson filed Suit No: FHC/L/CS/1962/2017 at the Federal High Court, Lagos Division against EFCC and five others to enforce his fundamental human rights. Innoson commenced the application with a motion ex parte. The application was accompanied with an affidavit of urgency. As a result, Innoson’s lawyers enquired from the court’s registry when the case will be assigned and were asked to check the next day being 21st December, 2017. They did and on 21st December, 2017 were further asked to check on 22nd December, 2017 and also, they heeded to the directive.

Neither Innoson’s lawyers nor the bailiff of the court served GTB with the motion ex parte or any of the process in this suit. Moreover, the suit was commenced by a motion ex parte and by the rules and practice it is to be and shall be kept secret; and other party(ies) – Respondents – shall not be heard until the ex parte motion is determined.

Again, in its characteristic manner, GTB became aware of the pendency of this suit, got all the copies of the processes filed in the suit including the motion ex parte filed by Innoson’s lawyers. Also, GTB filed a counter affidavit deposed to on 21st December, 2017, got the suit assigned to a judge of its choice and got it fixed for hearing without Innoson’s lawyers knowing.

GTB’s lawyers attended the hearing of the ex parte application and therein disclosed the information stated above and as well started making submissions in respect thereto. As a result, Innoson’s lawyers withdrew the suit and Innoson is taking steps to get the judiciary as well as the Acting Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to investigate what happened – how GTB became aware of the suit and got all the processes filed therein that were not served on it.

EFCC’S ARREST OF INNOSON ON 19TH DECEMBER, 2017
Till date, EFCC never told Chief Innocent Chukwuma – Innoson – why he was arrested except to say on pages of newspapers that he was arrested because of his fraud at SEC and forgery of documents to obtain tax waivers.

ALLEGATION OF TAX WAIVERS
None of Innoson’s companies nor Chief Innocent Chukwuma – have forged any document to secure tax waiver. EFCC had never invited Innoson in respect of any tax waiver issue and has not investigated Innoson in respect thereof.

ALLEGATION OF FRAUD AT THE SECURITY AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION (SEC)
Again, none of Innoson’s companies nor Chief Innocent Chukwuma is involved in any security or share issue. None of Innoson’s companies is quoted at the Stock Exchange Market and Innoson does not have any company that deals on shares. EFCC never invited Innoson at any time nor investigated Innoson for any related security fraud.

JAMES OSAREMEN AND SAHARA REPORTER’S ARTICLES
From the above it is clear that:

both James and Sahara Reporters misrepresented the facts to mislead the public;
the misrepresented facts by James and Sahara Reporters are from GTB. GTB had previously denied that it was not the reason why EFCC arrested Innoson and that it was not a party to that.

The questions arising from James and Sahara Reporters’ articles are:

i. is GTB now saying that those were the reasons why EFCC arrested Chief Innocent Chukwuma;
ii. if the answer to the question above is Yes, does it not show that GTB engaged in double speaking?;

iii. if GTB double speaks, does it not portray it as an unreliable and irresponsible organisation?

BILLS OF LANDING IN GTB’S CUSTODY AND STATEMENT AT THE POLICE
Who is sure that GTB did not in its characteristic manner create, generate or manufacture the Bills of Lading, no one has investigated this, given that:

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd – the shipping company whose bills of lading are in issue confirmed that the bills of lading used in clearing the goods were genuine;

Mr Okechukwu Okeke – the GTB’s staff that dealt with Innoson’s staff at all material times confirmed and stated in his extra judicial statement to the police that GTB released the bills of lading in issue to Innoson’s staff and that the release was endorsed in GTB’s register;

GTB alleged that the register was destroyed by fire.

POLICE AND GTB’S CONCEALMENT OF MR OKECHUKWU OKEKE’S EXTRA JUDICIAL STATEMENT
Yet again, in its characteristic manner and style, GTB got the police to conceal Mr Okechukwu Okeke’s extra judicial statement to the police because it is unfavourable to GTB. The Nigerian Police and EFCC have till date refused to produce Mr Okechukwu Okeke’s extra judicial statement. We therefore challenge the Nigerian Police, EFCC and GTB to produce Mr Okechukwu Okeke’s extra judicial statement and to authorize Sahara Reporters to publish it so that the whole world will know the truth. Same applies to the register – the Nigerian Police and EFCC should compel GTB to produce the register in issue.

N560 MILLION EXCESS CHARGES
Finally, with respect to N559 Million which Sahara Reporters and James Osaremen referred to and classified in their respective articles as default charges; may we invite their attention to the fact that that was litigated in Suit No: FHC/AWK/CS/139/2012. In that suit, the trial Judge came to conclusion that the charges were excess charges, unlawful and illegal. GTB was represented in that case by an eminent Counsel – Senior Advocate of Nigeria. The learned trial Judge at pages 7-8 of the judgment of 16th May, 2013 in that suit (copy annexed) held thus:

“Since any money belonging to a customer is credited to his account, and that which is paid out of the account debited as well as that which the bank earns from or through the account. In the instant suit there is nowhere the 1st Respondent have shown the reversal of the excess charges made on the account of 1st Plaintiff with it by crediting the 1st Plaintiff’s account which it debited illegally by way of excess charges. Equally no evidence is led by the 1st Defendant to show that the excess interest charges is within the Central Bank of Nigeria guideline and therefore, illegal pursuant to Section 15 of Banking Act. See First Bank of Nigeria Plc. –vs- Odaudu Uwada (2001)1 FWLR (Pt.50) 1696 at 1709, First Bank Plc. –vs- Mamman Ltd (2001) FWLR (Pt.31) 2890 at 2907.”

May be James Osaremen and Sahara Reporters are reversing the above quoted judgment of the Honourable Court.

iamfaithful:
Hello, I just sent you a message. Kindly respond so we can talk with regards to France student visa

I have replied you

[quote author=hrmdesk post=60493356][/quote]I pursued it off course. I am studying in an exchange program for france and germany. First semester in strasbourg (france)

sansha2016:
Hello Aikchosen,congratulation for your visa. please where and when did you apply.Mine is over a month and few weeks i applied still no reply. I don't really know what is wrong and what I can do

I applied on 11th August at vfs in Abuja and the contacted me via a mail to come for collection on 30th August.

Let's talk more via email

gammarays:
no problem
i have some questions shaa
do i need IELTS or GRE to apply for masters
can i start my application now or is it too late?
my sponsor is not family or blood related in any way. Any issue with that?
we can communicate using email then
just sent a pm

For programs taught in french language, you will need a french language certification (at least a B2). However, for english-taught programs, you will be needing either the IELTS or TOEFL and maybe a basic level french language certification (check with your institution). GRE is not necessary except stated otherwise by the institution. If you have one already, you could include it in your application - just as an icing on the cake.

Concerning the sponsor you intend to use, I am sure the embassy would like to be convinced beyond the shadow of a doubt that you are not just flaunting a charade as a sponsor. From my experience, the least they can accept is using a friend as sponsor. The friend would be required to tell the long story (in convincing terms) of how your parts crossed and his motivation to sponsor you (to be contained in the letter of sponsorship). Definitely, his account has to be buoyant enough to give more credence.

I replied you with email

Wooow. I am so happy. I just collected my passport from vfs with 1year student visa on it.

gammarays:
can we chat on whatsapp?

Sorry, I am not available on whatsapp currently. My phone doesn't support it.

This is the person you are required to talk to.

Madame Saranne COMEL
Program officer for the promotion of higher education, international student services, international mobility and Campus France Nigeria
French Embassy in Nigeria
Institut Français du Nigeria
52 Libreville Street / Off Aminu Kano Crescent
Wuse 2, ABUJA


Please, don't show her any desperacy to leave this country. You might come off to her as some desperate immigrant. Be calm and look sincere.

Moyinoluwa35:
Yea fank u bro,as i was typing my phone when off,i checked university of strasbourg,the tuition was below hundred thousand naira per session,am going for management course,i dont really understand their admission process..am just confuse brother,am not really going for school,mayb during the free period.i can hustle for a football trial in europe...brother help me out.which school do u fink i can run d admission sharply...no time,bro if u see suffer over here,av been managing marketing work over here in bank,if u see trekking ehn.my shadow don leave me self.d salary is 25k.i spend 15k every month for transport,i save upto 2mnths to do my passport,i collected my passport on monday,bro govt say passport is 17k.but i spend 28k to do my 32pages,it took me two weeks to collect it,am sayin it so that people will know what an average nigerian is passing through, i dont blame any body,i just blame my star for bringing to nigeria,i dont mind if i will mob road in france,i dont care,d last thing i will ever do is drugs,may God take my life d day i will want to carry drugs,i want to hustle in d right way,mayb through french legion,or soccer...or lastly school,so bro pls help me out my uncle wana sponsor me i dnt want d opportunity of givin my kids a bright future affect me

I can't stop laughing....Pls don't cut my ribs.

My brother, I understand you perfectly. You see, I am enrolled for an exchange master program at the university of strasbourg (france) and University of Freiburg (germany), so definately, I can give some hint about strasbourg.

First, where do you stay, abuja or lagos?
Secondly, if you are enrolling for a Bachelors program, I suspect the school will need you to present a certificate of proefficiency in english and french language unless it's purely an english program.
Thirdly, to better serve you need, I will advice you locate the nearest branch of campus france office and tell them about your intentions, don't let them know that you plan to abscond from studies to pursue other things. Infact, in europe, you could do other things while studying.

Don't worry, everything thing just needs perfect planning no need to rush. Just locate campus france first.

Moyinoluwa35:
Thank you bro,my uncle has about 5m in his account,he is an hair stylist,we talked at much today,and he told me i should go through academy way,cos it will be hard convincing them at vfs..after reading much on nairaland i discover that the tuition of Université de Strasbourg

I don't get you, What are you saying about university of strasbourg?

Besides, I was going to tell you the same thing. Going through student visa is the surest way to go about Emigration. But then you need to get your academic documents ready (refrences, transcript, WAEC etc). Public universities are quite cheaper and you could even go to campus france to assist you with application process.

Good luck

Moyinoluwa35:
Thanks boss i really appreciate,am going for a week vacation,and going to booked the hotel and also the flight,to and fro,dont really knw where am going to get the insurance,av downloaded the tourism visa form,i will call my uncle to get me is statement of account bfor the sallah break,am just a novice in all travelling stuff...sorry sir are you in france?

Not yet. I enrolled for a master program in france. Still waiting for my student visa.

Steps to follow:
Make sure all your documents are complete first.
Then make an hotel reservation (try to give 2months advance booking i.e apply for visa 2months prior to your time of travel

Then book a flight for that period (don't make payment yet)

There are many insurance company that will give you Schengen travel insurance with varing price like AIICO, Unitrust, AXA mansard e.t.c. Particularly, you can insure with AXA mansard without even visiting their offices. Just contact them on mail via victor.balogun@axamansard.com

Collect your uncle's bank statement (with balance ranging from 3.5M to 5M or more) together with a letter of sponsorship (stating his reason for sponsoring you and proving his link with you) his proof of employment/contract letter.

Proceed to vfs at abuja or lagos, they will access your document to know if you are good for submission.

Moyinoluwa35:
.ok but i dont wanna involve my uncle in italy,he has been in italy for 12yrs,for once he has not call my family,have chatted with him on facebook,he takes days or month,have told him how to help me i want to come to italy,he has not reply,i will do it my self,pls how much do you think this will cost me,and using my uncle here in nigeria statement of account do u think the embassy will allow me

Now for travel insurance, it will cost you at most 25k, visa processing fee 46k approx. I don't really know much about the cost of hotel reservations and how much they charge, but I guess they will require a deposit (up to half of total cost) for reservations. You can get a cheap hotel via www.bookings.com at as low as €10 -4,200k per night (extrapolating to about €300 per month - 130k). Feeding is approx €180 per month in paris. Flight ticket (round trip) is dependent on the time of booking (the earlier the cheaper). However, you cancel your return trip and get a refund after two weeks that's if you get accepted to the french legion.

Regarding the flight and insurance,
Definitely, every tourism visa must have a return flight ticket to accompany it else you will not be lifted by the airline. Also, the embassy would request for a travel insurance of three months to cover the duration of you tourism.

Moyinoluwa35:
thanks boss,am not a student my nain aim is to get a tourism visa i want to join the french legion army,or i can transist to italy,i have someone over there,but if i use my uncle account,can i book three days hotel and flight,can i book going and return ticket and also insurance....pls sumone help me

I will advice you to book a month hotel reservation in france to show them you intend to spend most of the tourism time (within the three months expiration of the visa) in france. But with a tourism visa, you can't change your visa to long stay unless you come back to Nigeria and re-apply for a long stay visa. Except in the case where the french legion accepts you into the corp.

Another way, since you have someone in Italy, why not tell the person to write you an invitation letter to come over to Italy for holiday. Which would also allow you to transit to france to try you luck with the french legion. For me, this would be easiest.

Moyinoluwa35:
good day nairalander,i want to be plain,am 18yrs old,i want to apply for a tourism visa to france,but i dint have enough money,my uncle say his going to sponsor me,am going there to join french legion army...pls my question is
1. If i use my uncle statement of account,will the allow me
2. If i state clearly that am going to join french legion army will the allow me,cos the say free accomodation and feeding
3. Or should i tell them am going for tourism,then later i can go for the french legion army

Personally, I would advice you don't let them know about your intentions to join the french legion.
However, you can get your uncle to stand in as you sponsor. Also, you will have to book an hotel reservation for the period you intend to stay. With a very convincing motivation letter to the consula general, you will definately get you tourism visa. Especially, if you are currently a nigerian student and you tell them you hope to spend you touristy holidays in france.
So while touring france, you can also tour your way into the french legion base in paris (lol), knock on their door, and tell them you want to enlist (with a valiant pose and expression)

Besides, don't get your hopes high on the french legion free lunch and accommodation. The selection process is very tedious. But upon selection you will get those full benefits, but in an event you weren't selected, my dear - you will just go the way you came.
Finally, the french embassy guys are taken when they see a young teenager taking such courage to approach them for tourism visa.

Good luck

Yea. Abuja is faster, according to what I was told by the lady at campus france. She even told me bluntly that Abuja is even considerate and friendly with applicant. They only reject visa when they have no other option. She told me this because then I had issues of getting a sponsor with a buoyant account (thank God I later did).

I applied at abuja and I was told it basically takes like two weeks to get a reply on visa status. Mine is slightly over two weeks today. My school is resuming Sept 4 and they have even sent me the lecture time table for the week.
God, Abeg fast-forward the process for your children

sansha2016:
it is student visa, i am not the only one in this situation.someone we applied all most the same period is also complaining.Hope it will be ready this week ,because I supposed to resume on September 4.

Please, sansha, where did you and your colleague apply from? Abuja or Lagos?

sansha2016:
Gudday every one,please I applied for france student visa on the 20th of July but till now no msg from the vfs.15 working days has elapsed.someone applied at Abuja a week after mine but have already collected his. what is really the prob.

Have you received your passport yet?

ogatboy:
Not at all. My friend needs to book for an interview. The guy in Lagos is on leave. If you have the email u used in booking please share

This is for abuja shaaa, and she said she will be on an official leave from next week till 27th August

Nigeria@campusfrance.org

ogatboy:
Please how did you book for your interview. If you can share the email or phone number

Mmmmmm. See my guy is in love with a french lady. Bros, perhaps the lady left a lasting impact on you little wonder you are stylishly asking her contact details when you are already in france. Lolll

Please, I have an appointment this morning with campus france in abuja.
I just hope I can get tips to likely interview questions for student visa.

nibrainengine:
I followed due deadlines; submitted application during may, submitted d fische famille, DSE and etc.etc... b4 d deadline by email, got first notification awaiting decision by june, accommodation award by Late-early july.
your case might be different since you applied late. Just keep close contact with them.

Voir vous en France!

Good day. Please, I am confused, I want to communicate with you concerning certificate of accommodation in france for visa application. Here's my Number: 07067796158. Thanks, I await your call.

Eddy4400:
Please has anyone outside the listed course of study applied? If yes, were you sent a regret mail?

My undergrad degree isn't listed in the required course of study, but got a masters in Chemical Engineering.

Confused on which to fill. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

Brother, fill in your masters

i really appreciate the handful of information i got from this thread.
i was wondering if anyone knows how the student jobs prospects could look like in Freiburg.

DInkMan:
If he is pursuing M.Sc/M.A it is €650/semester

it's an exchange program btw University of Freiburg (Germany) and University of Strasbourg (France)

Hello NL,

I just received my admission letter to study at the University of Freiburg Germany.
I have a few questions, please.
How can I open a German blocked account?
What is the minimum amount that will be needed to fund this account for the acquisition of a German student visa?
when I arrive Germany, can I send some part of the money back home to refund my contributors?

Please, your answers will be very helpful.

harrwix:
alright let say it goes like this....
you are in a exam hall competing for a price with other guys as good as you are; after scaling the selection processes. You have two options....focus on your work or assist your fellow competitors and watch them beat you to the price. The most painful thing is not that they actually beat you; but that you assisted in giving them victory over yourself.

Lets look at it the other way, you go into the exam , come out top with victory and then give up coming competitors clues on how to overcome. I think that is the only sane approach. Life is not fair, we all know that; but we must not act in a way as to shoot ourselves on the foot.

The results are not out....so we are all still competitors in this. I know some folks might imply that I am one of those who didn't do well in the interview; and I also think my performance is my privacy and I have the right to divulge it or not. So please lets have some respect for ourselves: Notore is not the end of the world....let's cut some slack.

#my humble submission
#Christ is my certification

My dear nairalanders, let's quit self righteousness and face the truth. Efoski have been on emeroking's neck and demonizing him on this thread. I refuse to take part in it. I have astutely followed nairaland threads everywhere I got the chance to, and to be candid you can't get full information on a current/ongoing recruitment process, except for already completed ones.

Who wants to help the competitors get the job and allow them selves sit at home or with a lower paid job. The only place you can see that done is in a mutually exclusive certification interview example: IELTS, ICAN etc. I have also have had my fair share of ill-luck just because of divulging interview questions.
Here's the story... The job opening was clandestine and just one space available. we were 8 candidates and had just written the aptitude test and we were just 2 guys with the same high-blazing score, 3 other were disqualified probably for wrong submission after the CBT (instructions were for us not to talk under any circumstance; so they made the mistake right under my nose while I was attending to my test) and the rest had pretty low score. Now, I was the 1st guy to be interviewed after the test because I came earliest, so it was just like I entered the conference room blind. After a series of HR questions, I was asked an unsual question which was to perform a real life scenario of a peculiar situation right before the panel (I had inadvertently prepared for it in my days at the NYSC camp). I aced it although with a little inconsistency, but they were wowed-i could see the smile on some panellists' face. Now the other guy with same high score as me would be the last to be interviewed since he came very late, and as I came out everybody came all over me seeking-to-know.
Hellooooo---- I just gave them an insight of how many panellist and I told them the would probably be relative. Then I kept my cool. These other bunch of guys who had already exhausted their life-line by failing the test felt they had nothing to lose again, divulged everything word-for-word after their interview session. Right there at the waiting room, my remaining competitors rehearsed the performance (which was meant to come with an element of surprise). At that moment, I knew who would get the Job. Bad for me that I went with much vitality from Akwa Ibom to Lagos to lose that dream job because of the intervention of some perceived losers. Just a week later, I called the HR to reaffirm my unreserved commitment to serve her company but Congrats to the guy who got the job.

Efoski, hear it from me (an opinionated me), wake up from your sleep. It's only losers that divulge interview questions while it's still ongoing!!! Even Notore will sue your self righteous person to court for espionage if you divulge their production process secret to their upcoming competitors.

I guess you are academically smart, but I don't think you will do well in business. Just try to send in your application for Channels TV graduate recruitment,perhaps you will do well as a news caster. But during the interview stage, you will need to wake up from that deep sleep. Unless you like receiving congratulatory massages for you foolish assistance.

However, for my fellow nairalanders who are awaiting to be interviewed. Here is the best we can do for you guys. The questions are relative to your field of study, internship(4), CV etc. nonetheless, one question begets another. For more information visit the thread for previous years.

Thanks. God bless you
*i am just trying to make common sense*

I also got an invite today via sms for interview on 20th April.
My course is Polymer Engineering.

I guess they are still rolling out invites. Don't panic, just look out for the next sms that may filter into your phone...