BLACKMAIL GONE WRONG

By Uvie Giwewhegbe

In the history of blackmails, blackmailers are expected to know better in carrying out their threats but who could say the same for individuals who tried to play the wand on Mr. Hamza Ibrahim Jamo.
On the 23rd of May, 2021, news was published on the DG of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh, on the allegation of fraud said to have been investigated by United Kingdom Investigators. The various sums of N1.5 Trillion and $9 million dollars was said to have been traced to his account and this information was reported on a certain low tier Nigerian news site . With this news, certain individuals sought to blackmail Mr. Hamza Ibrahim Jamo who they assumed was Dr. Bashir Jamoh and would fall prey to their gimmicks; only to be disappointed at their attempt as Mr. Hamza who is a retiree of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) after 35 years of service was quick to his defence and further revealed he had never met the DG before and had no relations with him to be mistaken for him.
The attempts of the blackmailers were done through phone calls and chats but eventually left as empty as they had arrived.
Mr. Hamza Ibrahim Jamo, a retiree of the NNPC as stated earlier, is presently involved with the training firm Talent Expertise International in Dubai as their representative in Nigeria. Mr Hamza states he has no connection with Dr. Bashir Jamoh. Talent Expertise International (TEI) has equally followed up on this with a recent published letter, disassociating themselves from the DG of NIMASA or claims of their representative partaking in fraud.

In a reply to the report, Hamza Jamoh said: “This is planned blackmail. There is serious contradictions in your record. Please check the difference between Hamza Ibrahim Jamoh and Bashir Jamoh of NIMASA. I have never seen Bashir in face to face in my life. Please confirm your record. I want to also advise that you should drop this move as you will never succeed.

“Yes, because I retired from NNPC after 35 years of service and joined a training firm Talent Expertise International in Dubai as their representative in Nigeria, so please check your records”, Hamza told the paper.

In a refutal of the totality of the story, the firm based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, said: “To whom it may concern: It has been brought to the attention of the board of directors of Talent Expertise International (TEI) of a fake notification circulating on social media which implicates TEI, along with four other organisations in an alleged fraudulent scam.

“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 The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Contrary to the said fake notification, Dr Bashir has never at any time held any position within TEI and he has never had any role in the formation or running of this company.

“I wish also 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 Jamoh as its local Nigerian Director, a retiree from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation”

The statement, dated May 23, was signed by one John Philp, Chief Executive Officer of the firm.