Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Festus Keyamo, has described suspected fraud kingpin, jerry Ikogho, as a brother and friend from a good home, Igbere TV reports.

The newly appointed minister said this in an interview with newsmen after pictures of the two men appeared on the Internet.

Igbere TV reports that Ikogho is one of the 77 Nigerians charged for massive fraud and money laundering in the United States of America following an extensive FBI operation.

The suspects allegedly conspired to scam at least $46 million from victims via romance scams, business email compromises and other online fraud schemes.

A grand jury indictment was filed in the Central District of California back in October 2018 and unsealed last week after the arrest of 14 defendants in the US.

The remaining 63 individuals are believed to be abroad, with most in Nigeria.

Keyamo began a relationship with Ikogho as a child in the 70s in Ughelli, Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State.

They were classmates at Government College Ughelli and were children of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

While Keyamo’s family barely managed to make ends meet, Ikogho’s father was a major car dealer in the area.

Speaking in the interview, Keyamo said he did not know the kind of business Ikogho was doing in America.

“We were born together in the same town at Ughelli in Delta State. His parents and my parents are close friends up till tomorrow. We were both raised in the Jehovahs Witnesses sect. It is a whole family union. If he has legal issues, I handled them for him free of charge. I didn’t know him as a client but as a family friend with whom we both grew up together,” Keyamo was quoted as saying.

Asked if he was aware that his friend was into shady business, Keyamo asked: “How would I know? He has not been proven guilty. Have you concluded that he is into massive fraud and money laundering?”

The lawyer who once prosecuted cases on behalf of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), added that he needs to hear from Ikogho what transpired in America before he takes a position.

Hear him: “If his explanations are not satisfactory, I will scold him. I have spoken with the wife since this issue broke out, but I have been unable to get in touch with him. But I need to hear from him.”

Describing what happened to his friend as “very unfortunate”, Keyamo added that Ikogho grew up and did his youth service in Nigeria.

“I used to stay with him when I first came to Abuja. He is my brother and friend, though I am just a month older than him. Anybody can be in trouble. I am praying for him. If he has valid explanations I will help him legally. I can’t run away from him,” he concluded.

http://igberetvnews.com/931836/just-in-keyamo-speaks-on-his-relationship-with-jerry-ikogho-suspected-fraudster-nabbed-by-fbi/

“I used to stay with him when I first came to Abuja. He is my brother and friend, though I am just a month older than him. Anybody can be in trouble. I am praying for him. If he has valid explanations I will help him legally. I can’t run away from him,” he concluded.

It is evident that Keyamo is a true man and not a politician.

A politician is ready to deny his own blood brother if it will negatively impact his political ambition. Instead, Keyamo laid it all bare and revealed the depth of his friendship with the accused.

It is not Keyamo's fault if his family friend involved himself in crime in another country, and if eventually convicted, they will still be family friends who have been helpful to each other at some time in their friendship.

We will hear from his brother soon nah


If they won't shut him up before he talks

Meanwhile check my signature

Na so we de manage our red label for club.
These idiots just come hypeman no let us hear word again.
1hr they spend my annual salary plus my savings and left.
The thing way pain me pass Bessay Na ground drink almost all the things they bought...

I will stand by my brother too no matter what

Nice one from keyamo. He is indeed a true and good friend. Such kind of friends are rare. If it's to be another person, he will conclude with the public validation about the case and ignore his friend. If he is innocent, i pray he should be released.

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No excuse in this... We all know the truth



They are all fraudsters

Keyamo sounds lik a good friend!!!

True man

Lol... As expected.

Keyamo is one of the very few Nigerian politicians I hold in high esteem.

Talking about knowing and understanding the difference between politics and humanity.

He has not been proven guilty! Jerry Doesn’t look like a fraudulent man though. This Keyamo is a very good friend. He’s what we need in Nigerian political system. Very transparent and plain. That’s the only thing I love about Jehovah witness

correct

Irrespective of any crime he has committed, they have a good family bond beginning. I just hope keyamo uses his legal expertise to get him a lighter sentence...
Sin no more Mr fraudstar

StOla:


It is evident that Keyamo is a true man and not a politician.

A politician is ready to deny his own blood brother if it will negatively impact his political ambition. Instead, Keyamo laid it all bare and revealed the depth of his friendship with the accused.

It is not Keyamo's fault if his family friend involved himself in crime in another country, and if eventually convicted, they will still be family friends who have been helpful to each other at some time in their friendship.

I'm not a fan of Keyamo, but his statement is that of a real friend.

Better friend

You sir have my respect.

Wow. Mature response.

People will twist his words though. You can never be neutral in the eyes of the press.

Quite a mature response from Festus. Typically in situations like this, most people jump into defensive mode irrationally and then totally deny their buddies. But he just said it as it is, "my friend is my friend, regardless of what wrong he may have done."

This touched my heart

If invictusObi deceived the whole world, got respected and celebrated as an ideal entrepreneurial role mode, how much more the possibility of Kerry Ikogho hoodwinking Festus Kenyamo. However, we wait for the trial to commence.

The man is wise, he just gained himself a fan.

Not some double mouthed n!ggas, quickly bails out when yawa gas.

At times it's cool to get into tiniest of problems or fane one like I always do, just to know true ones.

I have no one I can willingly/confidently refer to as a friend(it's cool if you see me as your bestfriend or your friend, but the fact should be, am I your friend NO!!!) ever since I arrived the country and it has been great for me, if I call you my guy no take it to heart(na personal/mutual interests) you ain't sh!t to me, no one is sh!t to me except my family, they're the best I've ever had!!!

#LoneSoldier
#I'm My Own friend/Bestfriend.

The single most deadly reason why Nigeria can not move forward is this unending fight between Yorubas and the Igbos.

He could have denied him or at best claim he was a client buh he stood firm. This is what friendship should be

A friend in need is a friend indeed

A real man he is

Before next weekend, some people will link those fraudsters to Nnamdi Kanu.

Two friends. One chose the slow route to the top( fake activism and political asslicking). The other took the fast route but now jail bound.

I liked the way he's handled this