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Secrets Reporters
Aloy Ejimakor, one of Nigeria’s most prominent legal figures representing Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has been implicated in a tax evasion scheme involving his private company, De Atlantic Investments Ltd.
Investigation by SecretsReporters reveals that the company, registered as a private company limited by shares in Nigeria, has been securing lucrative contracts from the Federal Government while failing to meet its tax obligations.
Nnamdi Kanu, a separatist leader advocating for the independence of Biafra, has been entangled in a controversial legal battle with the Nigerian government. While Kanu’s plight has drawn international attention, it appears that his lawyer, Ejimakor, may be embroiled in a legal controversy of his own—this time over alleged tax fraud.
Records from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) show that De Atlantic Investments Ltd, registered under RC-271664 on May 21, 1995, has been non-compliant with its tax responsibilities for several years. Nigerian law is clear on tax evasion and its consequences. Under the Companies Income Tax Act (CITA) and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (Establishment) Act, failure to pay taxes is a criminal offense, punishable by fines, penalties, or imprisonment. Section 40 of the FIRS Act prohibits companies that evade taxes from bidding for, or securing, contracts from the Federal Government.
Despite these laws, De Atlantic Investments Ltd, with Ejimakor as one of its directors, has successfully secured multiple government contracts. These contracts, worth hundreds of millions of naira, raise serious questions about the company’s eligibility to benefit from public funds while avoiding its tax obligations.
The transactions reveal substantial payments from several Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). On March 27, 2020, the company received ₦12,847,604.31 from the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta for consultancy services related to an environmental impact assessment (EIA) project in Ideato North, Imo State. Subsequently, on July 28, 2021, the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs paid the company ₦78,739,224.30 for the development of a monitoring and evaluation system.
Further records show that on December 3, 2021, the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria transferred ₦7,428,987.03 to De Atlantic Investments Ltd. On December 20, 2021, the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service made a payment of ₦30,963,720.92 for a contract involving testing contaminants in animal products for export.
The company continued to secure federal contracts even in 2023 and 2024. On September 26, 2023, the Federal Cooperative College in Oji River disbursed ₦8,648,000.00 for the supply of rice milling machines, followed by another ₦8,648,000.00 on October 19, 2023. A large payment of ₦169,200,000.00 was made by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security on May 10, 2024, for an emergency supply of rice to Imo West Senatorial District. Most recently, on September 14, 2024, the Federal College of Land Resources Technology, Owerri, transferred ₦39,127,500.00 as part of a mobilization payment for the construction of a multipurpose conference hall in Ohaji/Egbema.
The total amount received by De Atlantic Investments Ltd from these eight contracts is ₦355,603,036.56. Despite receiving substantial payments from federal projects, evidence points to the company’s failure to meet its tax obligations, a violation of Nigerian tax laws and procurement regulations.
The Nigerian Constitution and the Public Procurement Act also emphasize that a company must be fully compliant with tax laws to qualify for federal contracts. The fact that De Atlantic Investments Ltd continues to win government contracts while allegedly evading taxes demonstrates a serious breach of the law.
Aloy Ejimakor’s involvement as a director of the company puts him at the center of this financial misconduct.
According to Section 44 of the FIRS Act, tax evasion carries penalties including fines, seizure of assets, and possible jail time for directors of offending companies. This revelation adds a new dimension to Ejimakor’s public persona, casting a shadow over his professional standing as a lawyer fighting for Kanu’s release while engaging in questionable business practices.
