Keyamo Explains Photo Of Him With Man Arrested For Fraud By FBI
Nigeria’s new Minister of State for Niger Delta, Festus Keyamo SAN, has reacted to a photo of him with one of the 77 Nigerians indicted for fraud by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the U.S.
Keyamo, in a photo in circulation on social media, was seen posing with Jerry Elo Ikogho who is number three in the list of the suspects recently published on the website of the United States Department of Justice.
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Ikogho, pictured in glasses, is one of the 14 out 80 suspects arrested last week by the FBI. The suspects, 77 of whom are Nigerians, were indicted in what was termed one of the largest fraud cases in the history of the U.S.
Speaking on the photo with Ikogho, Keyamo said he and the suspect were childhood friends and hail from Ughelli in Delta state.
“He is my childhood friend. We were born in the same town (Ughelli). We attended same church from birth. His parents and mine, best of friends, till tomorrow. His siblings and mine too. Only left for the US about 10-12 years ago,” he told The Cable.
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“Can’t deny him. It’s a family relationship from birth. He’s from a decent family. Hope they got their facts right. The wife has sent the charge to me.
“The authorities clearly stated that he may not have known of the fraudulent schemes, but he helped one or two of them to transfer funds illegally for a fee. And he didn’t declare excess money at the airport. Wish him well.
“In fact that picture is even at the burial of the father of the guy on the far right about 8 years ago. The guy is in the same childhood group like all of us. Likewise the guy on the far left, a lawyer, who died at the National Hospital here in Abuja about 5 years ago,” he said.
