NEWS RELEASE
Nigerian businessman and politician Bemigho A. Eyeoyibo, has deplored as libelous a report by BBC News Africa in which he lamented that numerous frivolous, unverifiable allegations were made against him during and after his tenure as the president of Neo Black Movement (NBM) of Africa (2012-2016).
In a statement which affirmed that NBM is a black consciousness, charitable, law-abiding organisation with branches worldwide, he said: “I have had a series of negative news reports tagged to me that have traumatised me, my family and well wishers these past years during and after my tenure as the national president.
The reports are not short of blackmail, politically- motivated by my detractors, disgruntled expelled members of NBM, its adversaries who are obviously not happy with the growth and progress of the association and its members.
“I am not and was never a member of ‘Black Axe.’ I have not attended a meeting to plan or witnessed any killing of any human being. I have not perpetrated or partaken in any form of violence or criminality in any form.I am a law- abiding citizen of Nigeria, a businessman for over 30 years and a politician who ran for office under Labour Party in 2015.
“All the stories highlighted in the report about me were lifted from the blog of a person with the pseudo name Uche Tobias who used my name to set up a blog to commit his consistent heinous crime against me and family name. It is shocking and disappointing that an organisation like BBC will rely on such information to sell news.
“As stated in the report, I was never contacted via electronic means or physically about any report or comment. Again, long before now, my yahoo email account and other social media platforms, have been hacked by unscrupulous elements and used for unsolicited fraudulent messages. Proofs abound of various reports in this regard.
Tobias in the report also proved that my account was hacked which gives credence to his claim that he had criminal intentions to smear my name with criminality and consistently link me with an organisation (Black Axe) that I know nothing about.
“NBM account is open for investigation. The present leadership can be contacted to have a forensic investigation on the organisation’s account to see if there is any link or trace of any proceeds of illicit transactions during my time as its president. NBM has a registered charitable “Uhuru Foundation” where we contributed funds from members for the purpose of charity and members’ welfare which is one of the basic essence of our existence.
“This is in reference to his claim that I was reaching out to members worldwide for funds to sponsor ‘Black Axe.’ This is the height of mischief and blackmail.”
Eyeoyibo added: “I have neither had any summons whatsoever from any court of law nor been convicted for any criminality in and outside Nigeria. The incessant attacks on my person and family name is an infringement on my fundamental human rights.
“My lawyers have been contacted to advise and take proper actions against the BBC News Africa producer and the ‘Uche Tobias’ who, in the guise of his life under threat, inflicts constant abuse and pain on me and my family with his publications.”
