I’m Not A Criminal — Naira Marley

Fast rising Nigerian's star Azeez Fashola, popularly known as Naira Marley, in a statement on oath which he made while in custody of EFCC exclusively obtained by the Punch News, said he has two wives and four children who are British citizens.

He stated he is not a criminal and has no idea what the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) found on his laptop.

Naira Marley, who said he is  28-years old, said that apart from storing his songs and music videos, he had never done anything illegal with his laptop.

He identified himself as a Swedish Yoruba man, as he wrote;

My name is Azeez Fashola. I am married to two wives and I have four kids. They are all British citizens staying in the United Kingdom.  I studied in the United Kingdom, started studying at Porlock Hall, then I moved to Walworth School where I received my GCSE.e My results for my GCSE are English (C), Maths (B) and Science (C). I left Walworth School with my qualification and went further to study at Peckham Academy, where I got distinction in Business. Then, I went further to study at Crossways College where I finished my Business Law; but I had kids at that time, so I took a break and started making music till date.

According to him, he did not own a laptop but was given one to use temporarily to upload videos on YouTube.

He said,

I started making music in 2014 individually (sic), but now I’m signed to Marathon, a United Kingdom-based record label. I had a deal with Coca-Cola for my song, Issa Goal, in which I featured Olamide and Lil Kesh. I also had deals with Nike to participate in the Nigerian sportswear (sic). I’m in possession of a MacBook laptop, which I borrowed from a friend named Yad Isril in England, because while returning to Nigeria, I knew I was going to need a laptop to upload my music videos on YouTube and also to keep my exclusive songs. I also had deals with Nike to participate in the Nigerian sportswear (sic). I’m in possession of a MacBook laptop, which I borrowed from a friend named Yad Isril in England, because while returning to Nigeria, I knew I was going to need a laptop to upload my music videos on YouTube and also to keep my exclusive songs. I’m in possession of the laptop but I have no idea what is on it apart from my music videos.

As declared by  Naira Marley, the said laptop had no password and could be accessed by anyone.

He claimed to have met Isril in a secondary school in England.

He owns the butcher’s and an electronics shop in England. He is a British citizen, though his family is from Iraq. I don’t have a personal laptop at the moment because I don’t need it. My management team handles everything I need to do on the laptop. I only use my iPhone X for everything I do.

The EFCC had arrested him on May 10th, 2019 alongside Omoniyi Temidayo (a.k.a Zlatan Ibile), and three others for alleged advance fee fraud.

Following his arrest, the anti-graft agency filed 11 charges against him.

The charges with suit number FHC/L/178C/19 were filed before a Lagos State High Court.

He was later arraigned before Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, on May 20th, 2019.

Following his arraignment, Justice Oweibo ordered that Naira Marley be remanded in prison custody until May 30th, 2019 to take the bail application filed by the defence counsel, Taiwo Oreagba, on behalf of his client.

By Bliss Anthony