Jackson Ude N1.5trn fraud allegation against NIMASA DG untrue -Independent findings
…an NNPC retiree, Hamza Ibrahim Jamo falsely identified as Dr Bashir Jamoh, NIMASA DG
Chidi Ogbuokiri
Investigations by a team of journalists in Lagos have revealed that the recent reported allegations of N1.5trillion and $9million fraud against Dr. Bashir Jamoh, Director General of Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), by Mr Jackson Ude, a United States based Nigeria journalist is untrue and clearly fabricated.
The report which was first tweeted by Jackson Ude @Jacksonpbn and later reported on his online news website, www.pointblanknews.com have been discovered to be a combination of outright falsehood and an attempt to mix two different identities.
Fact check by reporters in Lagos confirmed that Mr Hamza Ibrahim Jamo , a retired employee of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and presently a representative of Talent Enterprise, a Dubai-based training firm, was wrongly identified as Bashir Jamoh of NIMASA.
Following screenshot images of chat and MTN phone number of Hamza Jamo published in the report, journalists used Truecaller application and direct phone calls to the owner of the line, which was confirmed to be a different individual without any link at all to the NIMASA DG.
While the NIMASA DG’s surname is Jamoh, the individual journalist Ude chatted with and published screenshots of their conversation is Jamo, an almost similar surname without the letter ‘h’ at the end.
Jamo, the former NNPC employee who disclosed to reporters that he retired after 35 years of service, added that his gratuity was paid into the Fidelity Bank account where Ude had reported a humongous sum to the tune of N1.5trillion.
While stating that he never had such a huge amount in his account, he disclosed further that the account has been closed due to activities by fraudulent persons to steal his money in the said account.
He told journalists during a telephone interview from his Kaduna base that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had invited him between August and September 2019 when they uncovered plans by criminals to hack into the account and steal his money.
According to him, the anti-graft body arrested suspected fraudsters in Lagos, Benin and Bauchi in connection with the fraudulent acts which caused him to shut the account sometimes in 2021, almost a year ago.
Following the release of the publication, the Dubai company Jamo represents has issued a statement that they never had any business relationship with NIMASA.
In the statement signed by John Philip, Chief Executive Officer of Talent Expertise, stated “I wish to confirm that Talent Expertise International operating out of Dubai, UAE and Abuja, Nigeria has no connection with Dr. Bashir Yusuf Jamoh, Director General of NIMASA.
“Contrary to the said notification, Dr Bashir has never at any time held any position within TEI and he has never had a role in the formation or running of this company
“I wish to confirm that at no time in the past has TEI had any formal or informal client/supplier relationship with NIMASA. At no time have we ever provided services to or received payment from NIMASA.
“Talent Expertise International is being represented by Mr. Hamza Ibrahim Jamo as its local Nigerian Director, a retiree from Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation” the statement reads.
Reporters also visited the website of TEI www.talentexpertiseintl.com where the name, profile, and picture of Jamo Ibrahim Hamza was published as one of its directors.
The Pointblanknews report had accused the DG of NIMASA of setting up the company, TEI which has also been discovered to be false.