FIJ
Jimmy Ogoh Nart, who aspired to represent the Adoka/Ugboju in the Benue State House of Assembly under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2023, was honoured as the “most coordinated member” of the Neo-Black Movement of Africa (NBM) on Tuesday.
The NBM has been linked to Black Axe, a transnational cult and criminal group.
His active and inactive Facebook profiles suggested that Nart has been a member of the PDP for as far back as 2019. In 2023, he expressed his desire to represent the Adoka/Ugboju Constituency in the state Assembly. However, he could not actualise the aspiration then.
Nart hails from the Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue. Back in 2019, he desired to represent Ugboju Otahe Ward, his political ward in the said LGA, as a councillor under the same party.
It has now come to light that Nart is affiliated with Black Axe, a cult group also known as the Neo-Black Movement (NBM). Available evidence suggests that he is a top member of the group.Jimmy Ogoh Nart in a black beret and white attire exchanging symbolic greetings with his fellow NBM members at the event.
On his most active Facebook page, Nart posted videos of himself at an event consisting of mostly men in attendance where he was applauded and given the award.
Giving him the award plague, a master of ceremonies who anchored the event announced that “This is an award of recognition presented to Honourable Jimmy Nart as the Most Coordinated Member of the Movement in the Year.”
Nart subsequently wrote on the same social media page that he appreciated the group for the “prestigious award”.
“Thank you to the Neo-Black Movement of Africa (NBM) Otukpo zone for honouring me as the Most Coordinated Member of the Year. I’m truly humbled and grateful for this recognition,” Nart wrote.
“I want to extend my sincerest appreciation to all NBM members world wide and associates whose tireless efforts and dedication make our organisation shines. Thank you again for this prestigious award. I am proud to be part of such an outstanding organization and look forward to continuing our excellent work together. Long live NBM.”
NART: ‘I AM NOT A CULTIST’
When contacted by FIJ for comment on Sunday, Nart denied being a cultist, saying that he was a humanitarian and that his group was not into cultism.
“I am a member of NBM of Africa and the group is not in any way associated with Black Axe. It is an organisation that encourages young people to build their future. There have been a lot of humanitarian programmes. For example, we gave N5 million, over 150 bags of rice and 100 bags of beans to victims of the recent Maiduguri flood. Our group is a registered organisation with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC),” Nart said.
“I am a humanitarian and a one-time local councillor in Benue. I cannot put myself into what could destroy the society. I am a philanthropist. Whatever negative things people are saying about me on social media is false. I am not and will never be a cultist.”
WHAT RESEARCH SAYS ABOUT BLACK AXE AND NBM
Existing research, however, counters Nart’s statement aimed at disassociating the group from Black Axe and exonerating it from being a cult group.
In a research article published by the Africa Center for Strategic Studies, an academic institution within the US Department of Defence, on October 29, NBM of Africa is the parent group of Black Axe, an ultra-violent confraternity group in Nigeria.
The group is well funded by proceeds of transnational cybercrimes and complex money laundering operations estimated to be worth over $5 billion with over 30,000 members in several countries, according to the article.
“Black Axe operates within a complex and opaque organisational structure. In Nigeria, people often view Black Axe as synonymous with its legal parent group, the Neo-Black Movement of Africa (NBM). NBM is a confraternity registered with the Nigerian Corporate Affairs Commission and has over one million members,” the article stated.
“While NBM affords the same array of social and professional networking as other confraternities, the group is undoubtedly buoyed by illicit Black Axe funds. One could therefore think of Black Axe as NBM’s criminal wing.”
Further connecting the relationship between Black Axe and the NBM, the article highlights how leaders of the group have created inroads into Nigeria’s political class, which makes it difficult to prosecute members of the group.
“The roles certain Black Axe leaders play in both overseeing Black Axe’s criminal activity and Nigerian political life highlights the challenges of investigating and prosecuting Black Axe in Nigeria,” the article stated.
“Evidence leaked by hacker “Uche” Tobias demonstrates that Bemigho Eyeoyibo was both the president of NBM and the head of Black Axe from 2012 to 2016. Even after this information was made public, Eyeoyibo was allowed to run for office as a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019.
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