Bamise and Elizabeth Ajetunmobi, who are reportedly on the run over a multibillion Naira investment scam have been confirmed as citizens of Antigua by the Citizenship Investment Unit of the Antigua and Barbuda.
Apparently, the couple was granted citizenship in April 2021 after they applied under the Citizenship by Investment Programme. “They were granted the citizenship of the island nation in April after intense internal examination,” CIU said in a statement.
Bamise and Elizabeth Ajetunmobi own a micro-lending company called Imagine Global Solutions and earlier last week, they were called out by several Nigerians on Twitter for absconding with investors money worth N22 billion.
However, the CIU clarifies that before they were handed citizenship an investigation was carried out under the “leading global due diligence firm” and nothing implicating was found.
“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,” the CIU said.
The CIU further said it will properly investigate their alleged crimes and is “awaiting the issuance of an official statement by the authorities in Nigeria.” If found guilty, their citizenship may be terminated.
Also, last week the prime minister of Antigua, Gaston Browne, said the couple will be arrested if they entered the country.“I have already put systems in place to ensure that if he is not here as yet that they could capture him on his way here because Antigua and Barbuda is not gonna be a refuge for scamps,” Browne said.
