FG seeks extradition of US-based Nigerian accused of fraud

The federal government is demanding the extradition of Jim-Daniels Nnah, a United States-based Nigerian, accused of defrauding two companies of $712,000.

The request was made via a letter marked HAGF/Ext/08/14 and addressed to the US Department of Justice by Abubakar Malami, minister of justice and attorney general of the federation (AGF).

Nnah was said to have conned Environ-Aid Technologies Nigeria Limited and Alsa Logistics Limited of the sum, through his company Biowish TM Africa Limited in 2012, under the guise of giving them sole distributorship rights of some bio-chemicals.

Malami said in the letter that after Nnah obtained the money for the purpose of supplying the complainants with the said products, he failed to supply them as agreed, “converting the money to his personal use.”

“The complainants claimed that sometime in September 2012, their companies entered in an existing joint venture agreement with Biowish Technologies Inc., 150N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 2800, Chicago, Illinois 60601, USA, to supply its products in Africa,” the letter read.

“For Biowish Technologies products to be sold in Africa, Jim Daniels-Nnah incorporated Biowish TM Africa to market a variety of the products ranging from Biowosh-Aqua, Biowish Odor, Biowish Remediation, Biowish Crops (fertiliser), etc.

“Relying on the information provided by the suspect, the complainant entered into separate agreements with Biowish TM Africa Limited to procure Biowosh Technologies’ products for which the sum of $712,000 was paid into Jim Daniels-Nnah’s company, Biowish TM Africa Limited and IC&T America Inc.’’s offshore accounts.

“Unknown to the complainants, Jim Daniels-Nnah had signed two separate identical contracts, making each of the companies sole distributor of the same products in Nigeria, demonstrating fraud and insincerity in handling the whole transaction.”

Malami added that following Nnah’s refusal to refund the money after the business agreement was later terminated, the suspects suspected fraud and subsequently filed complaints with Nigerian authorities.

He said the Nigerian international police organisation (INTERPOL) national central bureau (NCB) then found out, through cash transfer documents from the complainants’ bank and swift transfer records, that the said sum was paid into Nnah’s the accounts although the NCB is unable to interrogate the suspect as he is currently in the USA.

“The act is against the laws of Nigeria and as such, I shall prosecute any act in violation of Nigerian laws relating to financial and other economic crimes,” Malami said in the letter.

“To do this, the federal government of Nigeria would require the authorities and government of the USA to take steps within the scope allowed by the US laws, to execute this request in the interest of justice, the spirit of fighting international crimes and in the ground that when a similar request is made by the USA, Nigeria will render the same assistance.

“This letter is requesting relevant US authorities to identify the suspect, arrest him with a view to extraditing him to Nigeria for prosecution and for the recovery and eventual surrender of the money to the victims.”