Antigua and Barbuda have granted citizenship to a couple currently wanted in Nigeria for allegedly stealing N22 billion from investors.
“Both Bamise Ajetunmobi and Elizabeth Ajetunmobi were granted citizenship in April 2021 having applied under the Citizenship by Investment Programme,” Antigua and Barbuda’s Citizenship by Investment Unit said in a statement.
The citizenship was granted to the Ajetunmobis following an “intense internal examination”, according to the CIU.
The couple operated a micro-lending service company called Imagine Global, targeting primarily small and medium businesses. They offered 22 per cent interest on loans, and 10 per cent returns to investors.
However, their business was later suspected to be a front for a Ponzi scheme, and hundreds of Nigerians who fell victim to the scam took to social media to demand the government to arrest the couple.
The CIU claims the “leading global due diligence firm” they hired did not find anything suspicious about the couple, granted that the alleged scams came to light as recently as this month.
“No Interpol Red Notice had been issued for either Mr Bamise Ajetunmobi or Elizabeth Ajetunmobi,” said the CIU. “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.”
The CIU said that it has taken note of the reports regarding the couple and their alleged crimes and is “awaiting the issuance of an official statement by the authorities in Nigeria”.
