UAE terrorism financiers’ watchlist: ‘Our Director not involved,’ says 9mobile
[By VICTOR NZE]
Telecommunications firm in the country, 9mobile has issued a rebuttal over a viral report which claimed that one of its executive directors, Abdulrahman Ado, was listed as a Terrorism Financier by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Tuesday.
UAE had listed a number foreign nationals and companies mostly from the Gulf States, including six Nigerians as Global Terrorism Financiers. The listed persons included one Abdulrahman Ado Musa.
However, the telecoms operator has moved to refute the semblance of the identified terrorism financier with its Executive Director in charge of Regulatory and Corporate Affairs, Abdulrahman Ado. This was widely misconstrued as being the identity of the 9mobile director.
In a statement, Tuesday, 9mobile explained that Mr. Ado, who is the company’s executive director of Regulatory and Corporate Affairs was not the one named on the list.
“We wish to inform the general public that a purported news story circulating in sections of the online media mistaking a certain Abdulrrahman Ado Musa who is allegedly reported to be a designated terror financier by the UAE is not 9mobile’s Executive Director of Regulatory and Corporate Affairs, Abdulrahman Ado.
“For the avoidance of any doubt, 9mobile’s Executive Director of Regulatory Affairs does not bear the name ‘Musa’. The resemblance in the name is purely coincidental.”
“9mobile’s Abdulrahman Ado is a law-abiding and highly distinguished Nigerian of impeccable character,” the statement read.
It would be recalled that, Tuesday, six Nigerians were placed on terrorism watchlist by the United Arab Emirates as financiers of Boko Haram and other terrorism activities, according to the Emirates News Agency.
The Emirates News Agency, also known as WAM, said the list was released after the Emirate federal cabinet met in the capital, Abu Dhabi, Monday.
The Nigerians placed on the terrorism sponsors’ watch list include; Abdurrahaman Ado Musa, Salihu Yusuf Adamu, Bashir Ali Yusuf, Muhammed Ibrahim Isa, Ibrahim Ali Alhassan and Surajo Abubakar Muhammad.
The list also features 15 companies from across the world said to be involved in sponsoring terrorism.
The individuals listed are from mostly the Gulf region. However, six Nigerians, a British passport carrying Arab, Fadi Said Kamar, and two Arabs from Saint Kitts and Nevis feature in the terror watchlist.
The UAE had earlier accused an official of the Nigerian government of sponsoring the terrorist group, Boko Haram, which has killed thousands of people in the country.
The Emirate authorities are yet to release the name of the official, amidst reports that some people in Nigeria are mounting diplomatic pressure not to publish the name.
