Former Zamfara State Governor and Senator representing Zamfara West, Senator Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari, has alleged that his business interests are being targeted by individuals behind what he described as a smear campaign, following the alleged hacking of the bank records of Hamags Solutions Ltd, a company in which he has a substantial stake.
The allegation was contained in a statement issued through Meridian Network Communications and signed by its Director of Public Affairs, Ishmael Lere.
According to the statement, hackers recently gained unauthorised access to the company’s bank transaction records, an incident it said had been reported to the affected financial institution, while legal steps were being taken to identify those responsible.
The company alleged that the incident was the latest in a series of attempts to discredit Hamags Solutions and Senator Yari through what it described as false and malicious claims.
It also dismissed allegations linking the company to money laundering, terrorism financing and unlicensed foreign exchange trading, insisting that Hamags Solutions is a duly registered limited liability company engaged in corporate solutions and trading, operating within the ambit of the law and in compliance with the principles of good corporate governance.
The statement further described as fictitious reports purportedly based on a forensic investigation and circulated by what it called a faceless youth group alleging that the company was involved in financial crimes.
It read: “Following a series of sponsored lies and fabrications being circulated in the media by persons who have an axe to grind with Senator Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari and his business concerns, we are constrained to issue this statement to set the record straight.
“Hamags Solutions is a limited liability company duly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission as a corporate solutions and trading entity. It operates genuinely and transparently under the ambit of the law and in compliance with the principles of good corporate governance.
“Those bent on giving Senator Yari and his businesses a bad name have accused Hamags Solutions of being a conduit for money laundering, terrorism financing and unlicensed foreign exchange trading.
“As part of this campaign, the company’s bank statement was recently hacked. Appropriate legal remedies are being pursued in conjunction with the affected financial institution to uncover those behind the breach.
“We urge the public to disregard these acts of blackmail. Hamags Solutions and its chief promoter, Senator Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari, remain committed to transparency, accountability and good corporate governance.”
The company maintained that the alleged hacking and smear campaign were aimed at undermining public confidence in its operations and tarnishing the reputation of Senator Yari.