₦airaland Forum

Mathewrichard99:
It's more of sponsoring terrorism. Let's imagine a footballer of Palestinian origin playing for Arsenal FC. He's doing a legit job and also residing in England but from his pay, he's always channeling part to Hamas militants group in Palestine through an evading means. That's sponsoring terrorism. That act and money laundering goes side by side and both are illegal and could result in long jail term.

Your narrative doesn’t fit.

The guy wasn’t ‘sponsoring” terrorism but rather, doing “business” with a known sponsor of terrorism.

There’s a law against doing business with terrorists or their sponsors and such transactions MUST be reported to the authorities. The guy knew that his client has link to terrorists and having known that, he engaged a third party for advice and then, did not follow the advice that was given to him. He was looking more at the money to be made regardless of what the law says.

Selling artwork to a sanctioned individual with terrorism ties. Urhobo people no dey dull like this.

nedu666:
So if a terrorist buys phone from Samsung or TV from LG, British govt will charge Samsung and LG for funding terrorist

According to the laws as described in the articles, yes.

bigpicture001:
This one don enter.. but how e for take know say na terrorist sympathizer

Maybe the art cost less and he agreed to transfer the balance to terrorist or their accomplice

Misleading headline....

The customer carry Hezbollah tag for forehead? How could he have known? Anyway, he don plead guilty already, so enjoy.

lebete3000:
He probably knew but didn't give a hoot, as long as money was involved, it's business to him.

Anything for the paper crew.

That is it!

pdppower:
When they are doing well, they are called British, bit when they commit any offence, they become British-Nigerian

Na there way since 19gbogboro

I despise terrorism...make him face za law

Omotaday:
No, you have to get the news first, maybe by actually reading it.

The man is no terrorist, and that makes your comment though thoughtful but irrelevant in this occasion.

Alright. I commented our of context I guess. Sometimes. The heading and first paragraph feels catchy... Nah wetin catch my attention be that.

Mr Oversabitu, check the question again. He was asking how do they sponsor terrorism and I only answered the question asked and not to quote what was already explained that you just narrated. He could read through the detail as narrated in the story himself.....

Tranquill:
Your narrative doesn’t fit.

The guy wasn’t ‘sponsoring” terrorism but rather, doing “business” with a known sponsor of terrorism.

There’s a law against doing business with terrorists or their sponsors and such transactions MUST be reported to the authorities. The guy knew that his client has link to terrorists and having known that, he engaged a third party for advice and then, did not follow the advice that was given to him. He was looking more at the money to be made regardless of what the law says.

pdppower:
When they are doing well, they are called British, bit when they commit any offence, they become British-Nigerian

You dey mind them

Dougad:
Selling artwork to a sanctioned individual with terrorism ties. Urhobo people no dey dull like this.

No be pure Urhobo. You no observe him name

AmalaAtiEwedu:
What is the Name again?
I just checked

it is Oghenochuko ‘Ochuko’ Ojiri
I thought it was ObiChukwu Ojukwu Orji

I couldn't help it... Long Live NCAN

Proud NCAN members, please like and share.

It is foolish to even imagine that a normal igbo christian would be involved in funding Hezbollah, an islamic terrorist group

Why didn't your mind go to a northern or youruba muslim's name

This shows how ethnic hatred and tribalism have eaten deep into your little minds

TheExchanger:
Now you'll know terrorism has no face. It's not a game of ethnicity, Religion, Race, Sex, etc. Anyone can be a terrorist.

Religion only happens to be the Judas devil is using to fund terrorism the most.

It is not true. We know the religion that encourages terrorism and has its members involve in terrorism all over the world, in line with their religious doctrine.

Any attempt to decouple religion from terrorism will always be a failed one.

How is sale of artwork tantamount to financing terrorism?
So what of people that sell them food or clothes?

They must have bullied him to plead guilty

tunjijones:
He sold to someone that has been penned down as a terrorist.

Nobody is asking him not to sell to him, but he was supposed to report it to the authorities.

And the authorities would do what when Hezbollah agents comes for his life for snitching?

Will the authorities protect him from Hezbollah?

cjudy:

My Ban ends today and I’m back.
First, I want to appreciate Seun for adding the block button to this forum for sane people like us to still enjoy this forum without zone B everywhere on paid role to carry out their usual propaganda.

Secondly, that admin that ban me, come enter heaven make I see.

Thirdly, please Seun, you need lots of work to do. When a usual is blocked please even if someone quote him or her please make it privacy so that the person that block the user won’t get to still read the comment of the zone . Please can you make the block to be permanently until the person decide to unlock the person? Since I block so many users, zone B and paid propagandists, Nairaland is now very sweet. Please add more of the above mentioned.

Thank you

Lolz. You dot fivers are happy about the block button. When you were railing at northerners for 8 years under Buhari you never thought of block buttons. Now that you don touch people wey pass you you don dey wail and beg for block button. Lolz.

Brenbentondiaz:
Lolz. You dot fivers are happy about the block button. When you were railing at northerners for 8 years under Buhari you never thought of block buttons. Now that you don touch people wey pass you you don dey wail and beg for block button. Lolz.

This is what I’m talking about. Comments from zone B, I don’t need them

BlackViper:
British-Nigerian Art Dealer ‘Ochuko’ Ojiri Pleads Guilty To Terrorism Financing In UK

A 53-year-old British-Nigerian art expert, Oghenochuko ‘Ochuko’ Ojiri, has pleaded guilty in a terrorism financing case after failing to report a series of high-value art sales to a man sanctioned over alleged links to Hezbollah.

Ojiri, who has appeared as a freelance expert on BBC programmes including Bargain Hunt, admitted eight counts of failing to make a disclosure during the course of business under the Terrorism Act 2000. This marks the first prosecution of its kind in the United Kingdom.

According to a BBC report, Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard that between October 2020 and December 2021, Ojiri sold artwork worth £140,000 to Nazem Ahmad, a man sanctioned by the United States in 2019 and later by the UK government in 2023 for alleged support to the proscribed group Hezbollah.

Prosecuting, Lyndon Harris told the court: “There is one discussion where Ojiri is party to a conversation where it is apparent a lot of people have known for years about [Ahmad's] terrorism links.”

He also said: “Ramp Gallery engaged a third party to advise on compliance matters,” but added that the advice was “not properly acted on.”

Ojiri, who founded Ramp Gallery—now operating as Ojiri Gallery—in east London, dealt directly with Ahmad, negotiated sales, and congratulated him on his purchases.

The UK government previously noted that Ahmad had “an extensive art collection in the UK” and conducted business “with multiple UK-based artists, art galleries and auction houses.”

Hezbollah, a Shia political and militant organisation based in Lebanon and backed by Iran, is proscribed as a terrorist group by both the UK and the US.

Ojiri’s prosecution followed investigations by the Metropolitan Police’s specialist arts and antiques unit, in collaboration with the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) and HMRC.

Under the Terrorism Act, individuals are required to notify authorities if they suspect a business associate is involved in funding proscribed groups.

Ojiri is listed on the Bargain Hunt website as one of the show’s experts. He is not a BBC employee and has not appeared on any of the broadcaster’s programmes since 2023.

“It would not be appropriate to comment on ongoing legal proceedings,” a BBC spokesperson said.

District Judge Briony Clarke granted Ojiri bail and ordered him to surrender his passport. His barrister, Gavin Irwin, told the court that Ojiri is not considered a flight risk.

Sentencing has been scheduled for June 6 at the Old Bailey.
https://saharareporters.com/2025/05/09/british-nigerian-art-dealer-ochuko-ojiri-pleads-guilty-terrorism-financing-uk

Under the Terrorism Act, individuals are required to notify authorities if they suspect a business associate is involved in funding proscribed groups.

tunjijones:
He sold to someone that has been penned down as a terrorist.

Nobody is asking him not to sell to him, but he was supposed to report it to the authorities.

So if this guy buys TomTom from my street corner grocery shop I should report it? The prisons will be filled in days then? I think Ojiri is just being made an example of.

Seik:
So if this guy buys TomTom from my street corner grocery shop I should report it? The prisons will be filled in days then? I think Ojiri is just being made an example of.

Why una dey always talk like say una no get sense like this for this nairaland? ( Well na mostly teenagers and young adults wet no sabi anything full this place)

In Nigeria is it every transaction that organisations report to EFCC?

Any transaction over 5million naira for individual and 10million naira for organizations must be reported to EFCC weather fraudulent or not.

How much is tom tom and how much is the painting we are talking about.

Bros abeg no use this your sense cross road oooo

tunjijones:
To what end?

All because of money?

The question is did he know the person was a terrorist?

thorpido:
Big fool

Why? What if he didn't know the person was a terrorist?

nedu666:
How is selling an art work terrorism

He sells to the Hezbollah contact man, the Hezbollah contact man resells to the real terror financiers in an auction and receives money in millions of Pounds Sterling. It is an organized syndicate.

The funds are wired via auction sales

BlackViper:
https://saharareporters.com/2025/05/09/british-nigerian-art-dealer-ochuko-ojiri-pleads-guilty-terrorism-financing-uk

Stop reporting falsehoods. He didn't fund Hezbollah. He sold artworks to a known Hezbollah person who was under sanctions and he knew he wasn't supposed to transact business with such a sanctioned individual.
Report the right thing and stop useless sensationalism.

nedu666:
How is selling an art work terrorism

The Arab man he sold the artwork to was under financial sanctions and he knew, but still went ahead to transact business with such.

Naturalgbola:
how is he funding terrorists? He painted a gallery, sold it and collected his money, so how

Do you really think you know more than the terror sponsor who has already pled guilty to the charge??

Seik:
So if this guy buys TomTom from my street corner grocery shop I should report it? The prisons will be filled in days then? I think Ojiri is just being made an example of.

Do you really think you know more than the terrorism sponsor who has already pled guilty to the charge??

Being clever doesn't cut it. He directly aided money to be laundered for terrorists. He has admitted he is guilty. That says a lot.

Watcharena:
I can bet my balls you didn't read the content

You lost your balls then.Why did they find him guilty?He knew.

Chickensoup:
Why? What if he didn't know the person was a terrorist?

He knew.That's why they found him guilty.