Media reports out of Nigeria, more specifically an article in Peoples Gazette dated 19th October, 2021, have referenced the involvement of Bamise and Elizabeth Ajetunmobi in alleged fraudulent activity through their company Imagine Global Solutions Ltd.
The Citizenship by Investment Unit confirms that both Bamise Ajetunmobi and Elizabeth Ajetunmobi were granted citizenship in April 2021 having applied under the Citizenship by Investment Programme.
As is customary, the application was subjected to intense internal examination by the Unit’s team of certified Compliance specialists.
A leading global due diligence firm conducted open source and in-country investigations on both Mr. & Mrs. Ajetunmobi as well as their company, Imagine Global Solutions Ltd.
At the conclusion of the investigations, nothing disparaging was identified with respect to the applicants nor their affiliate business interests.
Their company was also duly registered and active.
Additionally, reports from international law enforcement agencies did not reveal any indication of involvement in fraudulent or illegal activity.
No Interpol Red Notice had been issued for either Mr. Bamise Ajetunmobi or Elizabeth Ajetunmobi.
As such, at the issuance of citizenship, there was no adverse media, criminal or civil litigation, neither were there regulatory concerns associated with the applicants and their businesses.
Subsequent to the publication of the article by Peoples Gazette, the Unit has undertaken a review of the media reports and is awaiting the issuance of an official statement by the authorities in Nigeria.
It is our information that no arrest warrants have been issued nor official proceedings against the couple initiated.
The Citizenship by Investment Unit affirms its unwavering commitment to the protection of the jurisdictional reputation of Antigua and Barbuda as well as the integrity of the national travel document.
Along with our international partners, we continue to monitor this emerging issue and will provide further updates should additional information be received.
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The Unit needs to add some obeah men/ Women to the team, this was they can make future predictions and avoid them. Wonder if we would have to import them? Would the public accept such?
HAHAHAHAHA. Funniest comment I’ve seen in ages, Tenman!
@Tenman…did Obeahman #Sungoo and Ob-EYE-ah Obeah Oman #Lungoo, the PM advisers from Burma Road advised him, that the Nigerians were criminals, why he allegedly have an army in place to stop them from, illegally entering Barbuda or Antigua!?
The joke would be on him, the PM, if according to the reports the Nigerian authorities have not brought any charges against this couple.
Yep moved a bit too swiftly (listened too earnestly to Nigerian media reports) but its understandable considering the possible reputation damage for the jurisdiction. No doubt they would have been asked to stand down pending futher info
This was the expected response from the Unit. They never knew anything.
My sentiments exactly. Excuses like this are just unacceptable when you are putting an entire nation’s reputation at risk. Excuses are like butt holes everyone is entitled to at least one!
JUST SAYING you are surprisingly making so much sense. I think you need to have a talk with your comrade TENMAN and his comical comment since I do not believe it is meant to be sarcasm.
Last time I checked the head of the CIP Unit was hired under the UPP admin. Its the Unit, which she heads as CEO, that deals with processing applications. Is it that the UPP has now lost faith in people it brought to the Unit? I know your leader would wish to play forked tongue but the young lady comes with real qualifications. Note when you attack CIP, its not Gaston and cabinet you hitting, its the unit and its workers who diligently put A&B first every day. In the meantime you out there essentially borning down your own house
Dear @Tabor
The last time I looked, the current Director of the CIU was hired by the Gaston Browne administration. He had already gotten rid of the one who the UPP hired, plus another who would not let him dictate how the Unit should run. He knew what he wanted to achieve, so he got the right person for the job. The CIU is like the Monkey and the 3 evils – see, hear nor smell none.
Keep quiet, look the other way and enjoy the lavish lifestyle it brings. Here’s hoping they are saving enough for a good lawyer to prevent them from having an Edmead Jarvis moment at Perry Bay.
The questions that should be asked are, Did the Nigerian couple get citizenship without being vetted with the “due digilence” that the CIU likes to boast about? Even when the PM was in Parliament mouthing off about turning away the couple if they arrive on island, WERE THEY ALREADY ON ISLAND with his knowledge? Are they still on island hidden in plain sight?
Antigua is a small place. Things are often seen which we do not want to be seen. The lies we are told are well told to us. We have grown accustomed to accepting them with a groan.
We are like a docile housewife who is well aware that her husband is a predator but believes he will change if she doesn’t hassle him.
Nope the current CEO Is Charmaine Quinland Donnovan . She was brought in as Deputy CEO before 2014. Before coming back to ANU, she worked at the Bank of Nova Scotia, where she was Head of Compliance for the Eastern Caribbean Region responsible for nine countries including St Maarten. She is the first national to have been given the CEO position. Thomas Anthony who at one time also held the position as Deputy CEO, moved on to be CEO of the CIU program in Grenada.
Just the fact they applied makes them suspect. Age seems quite young. CIP is a criminal magnet. I simply can’t think of a reason to come all the way across the globe to change citizenship. It the question asked? What is the reason YOU and to be Antiguan?
Perhaps I can help you (note 1. Bamise and Elizabeth Ajetunmobi are not wanted by Nigerian law enforcement 2. Of the over 6K persons who have recived a A&B passport via cip less than a handful of them were later found guilty of a crime) :
1. For hassle free travel since the A&B passport (ranked 27th globally))would allow me to travel visa free to more nations than a Nigerian passport (ranked 95th globally) would allow.
2. If I plan to invest in A&B there are less impediments if a citizen. If I buy real estate no alien land holding license to worry about. I can also stay in ANU as long as I like since there would be no time limitation
3. Less queries from border officials since traveling with a A&B passport you would encounter less questions than a Nigerian one
4. If you fear political persecution, having a second passport provides you ease of mind in knowing you can go elsewhere
5. The ability to end your allegiance to perhaps your nation of birth for eg to enjoy some possible tax savings. There are quite a few UK and US persons going this route since the US ones argue the taxes there are unfair . Another reason is they may have become tired of the political situation in the US. 2020 saw 6,705 Americans going this route, in 2019 it was 2,577. Since you are a great believer in the American dream, you would more do the opposite
HOWEVER, THEY came because of Criminal activity. All the rest of the fluff with the intent to sound intellectual is just nonsense to me. Go find the outdated, internet equipment you so bright Mr. 5G.
What color flags did the CIU see,green ones?
After Silkroad was taken down by the FBI, another darkweb site take it place by the name of Alphabay. Alphabay was responsible for selling illegal drugs, weapons, stolen credit cards, fake ids, weapons and many other products and services on the darkweb.It was the largest darkweb site at the time before it was shut down by the police. The owner of the site turn out to be a canadian who was living in Bangkok. He had Antiguan and Barbudan citizenship via the CIP. My conclusion is that the CIP attract mainly criminals especially cyber criminals.There is no way to detect them.
You do know this remains an allegation since Cazes was never tried and found guilty? There are allegations that he was murdered perhaps by some government official. Know also the dark web site he allegedly ran is still in operation. If CIP (A&B) as you claim is a magnet for criminals, why is it of the over 6K passports issued there has been no more than 10 persons accused of any crime and less than a handful if any have been convicted of any crime? Fact is the diplomatic passport for sale (Eg John ashe scandal where moneys went to a former PM personal bank account) ran under the BS admin has seen more convictions than persons who got under CIP
@Tenman…a very interesting take on your part, and here’s what I take away from your analysis.
A…are these 6K plus individuals or inclusive of family?
B…those 6K plus CIPers(if individuals exclusive of family members) are now eligible to vote in our general Elections once criteria(s) are met.
C…this means these new citizens, and of course all may not be, again these new citizens can and will have an effect on the General Elections from campaign financing(the PM just preempted Asot and dropped the fact, that Yida contributed to ABLP past election’s campaign funds. Illegal, maybe not. Influential, most definitely!), and of course in some Constituency’s whereby, that seat is won or lost by less than a dozen votes, CIPers just like the Santo Dominicans, the Serians, the Lebanase and to a lesser degree the Jamaicans and Guyanese.
St. Peter’s, St, Mary’s South and North, St. John’s North and of course BARBUDA are all vulnerable.
A) includes family hence half may be under 18
B:) yes once they fulfill the requirement of the rep of the people act. This means showing residency for at least 30 days and getting registered
C:) Unlikely most of them will get registered. In general they tend not even to be in ANU. Its more about getting the passport for easier traveling (less challenges with getting visa’s since A&B has so many visa free countries on its list). You can look at SKN who has had a CIP programs for over 30 years and its never been an issue of CIP citizens negating local votes. Keep in mind these tend to be high net worth individuals
@Tenman…you know, that #We don’t by fluff. We love substance, hence…
A…just like the children and grandchildren of the past CIPers, the Serbians, Lebanese, Santo Dominicans, Guyanese have gotten involved in the local politics, why not the children, grand children of these new CIPers who will be at an advantage against locals in terms of access to better education.
B…these “high net worth individuals’ are the ones who use their monies and influence to set policies, become advisors, ambassadors and the 10% of the population that have and get first ‘dibs’ at grants and other funding allocated to the Nation because of the poor and unfortunate who resides there.
C…what data do you have which allows you to make the assumption about St. Kitts?
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