An investigation by Drop Site News has alleged that late American financier Jeffrey Epstein and former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak explored business opportunities in Nigeria at the height of the Boko Haram insurgency, using security cooperation as a pathway to wider commercial interests.
The report, cited by Al Jazeera, is based on emails released in 2018 by the United States Department of Justice. The correspondence allegedly shows Epstein acting as a facilitator in discussions between Jide Zeitlin, then head of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, and Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, former chairman of DP World.
According to the documents, negotiations centred on gaining control of strategic shipping terminals in Lagos and Badagry. Previous talks with Nigerian administrations dating back to 2005 had reportedly failed. DP World was said to have insisted on full control of port facilities before committing to investments in an associated industrial zone.
Bin Sulayem resigned on February 13 after renewed scrutiny over his past relationship with Epstein. Epstein died in a New York jail in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
Security pitch amid insurgency
The investigation also details extensive communication between Epstein and Barak following Barak’s departure from public office. After serving as Israel’s prime minister from 1999 to 2001 and later as defence minister, Barak allegedly leveraged security contacts in Nigeria to promote Israeli-linked ventures in cybersecurity, energy and infrastructure.
In 2015, Barak and a partner invested $15 million in FST Biometrics, founded by former Israeli military intelligence chief Aharon Ze’evi Farkash. The firm’s Basel biometric system, initially deployed at crossings between Israel and Gaza, was marketed in Nigeria as a counter-terrorism solution amid escalating Boko Haram attacks.
The report claims the technology was presented as part of enhanced security arrangements at Babcock University and was also promoted more broadly to African governments as “field-proven” technology.
It further references a 2020 World Bank-supported initiative involving the Israel National Cyber Directorate and Toka Group, a cybersecurity firm co-founded by Barak, to support Nigeria’s national cyber infrastructure.
One 2014 email exchange cited in the report suggests Epstein viewed instability in parts of Africa and the Middle East as commercially advantageous. In a message to Barak, he reportedly wrote, “Isn’t this perfect for you?” Barak is said to have replied that while there was opportunity, turning it into “cash flow” was not straightforward.
Access to political circles
The correspondence also suggests that Barak and Epstein cultivated access within Nigeria’s political establishment. In 2013, Barak attended a cybersecurity conference in Abuja that organisers allegedly described privately as an avenue to facilitate meetings with then-President Goodluck Jonathan.
Following those engagements, Israeli defence contractor Elbit Systems reportedly advanced an internet surveillance initiative in Nigeria, despite objections from members of the National Assembly.
The report contends that security cooperation frequently functioned as an entry point for broader business negotiations, including port concessions linked to DP World and potential investments in the energy sector.
Babcock rejects allegations
In response, Babcock University has denied procuring Israeli biometric or surveillance equipment or engaging in counter-terrorism operations.
In a statement signed by its Associate Vice-President for Communication, Media and Branding, Dr Johnson Akintayo, the university said it immediately conducted a comprehensive internal review of procurement and financial records after the allegations surfaced.
The review, it said, found no evidence to substantiate the claims, describing them as “entirely unfounded, spurious, baseless and false.”
The institution emphasised that it operates under strict procurement procedures consistent with Nigerian laws and internationally recognised standards, adding that all acquisitions undergo structured approval and oversight processes.
Babcock reiterated its commitment to transparency, ethical governance and accountability, distancing itself from any insinuation linking it to foreign surveillance or intelligence operations.
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