The Chairman of Zinox Group, Leo Stan Ekeh has advised young entrepreneurs in Nigeria to be focused and ignore people he tagged ‘Executive Blackmailers’, stressing that such blackmailers feed and train their children with money criminally earned from the act of deceit.
The Zinox Boss gave the advice on Saturday during the fourth annual digital entrepreneurship case study forum, which happened virtually this year with the theme – Salient issues that may distract Entrepreneurs in Africa.
‘‘Most of these people are mature blackmailers who feed and train their children with money criminally earned from blackmail. Please, you must stay focused on your business and never patronize them as that is their trade but they would gradually disappear as they hawk from one sector to another to survive. The social media gives a free platform to selectively reply and clear any doubts aimed at destroying your brand,” he said.
Ekeh’s advice is coming on the heels of allegations by Ibadan based IT retail firm, Citadel Oracle Concept Limited that Ekeh colluded with seven other suspects to hijack a contract of about N216.6m form the company.
In a PremiumTimes report, Benjamin Joseph, the Managing Director of Citadel Oracle Concept Limited claimed that the Zinox Boss opened an Access Bank account with fake company documents, including a fake board resolution of the company, to receive the money from Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
But reacting, Ekeh noted that the report published by Premium Times and their partner, Mr. Joseph Benjamin of Citadel Ltd, Ibadan against him and his company Zinox is total blackmail.
“I am sure you have been reading a series of defamatory articles from Premium Times and their partner, Mr. Joseph Benjamin of Citadel Ltd, Ibadan against me and my company Zinox. I made it clear to them that we do not engage with blackmailers but if they seek any clarifications, we are ready to make that available within 24 hours. In summary, we had published several times our position, that I do not know Mr. Benjamin Joseph and Zinox never transacted any business with him and he should please publish proofs, if otherwise. Premium Times is the only media house in Nigeria that has no eyes to see the truth, it can only be commercial,” he said.
He explained that first, Citadel Oracle Ltd, Ibadan has no reputation to transact business with any member of the Zinox Group except guaranteed by a credible company or person. We have no case against us in any court, the Police or EFCC. Please let him publish and tell the world which court in Nigeria summoned me and my staff and I refused to attend to them. I am aware the same Joseph has been accused of attempting to blackmail Access bank Plc, EFCC, the former IGP and current senior Police officers, the Attorney General of the Federation, his Directors and also written the Vice President.