An execution in broad daylight has lifted the lid on the alleged nefarious enterprise of a SA-based Nigerian rapper with apparent links to criminal organisation Black Axe.
The killing at a petrol station on Central Avenue, in the Kempton Park area, on Monday last week led to a police chase and a deadly shoot-out on the R24 near the Gillooly’s interchange. Two Nigerian nationals were left dead and three were arrested, including Nicholas Ogbeifun, a rapper and alleged member of the Neo Black Movement of Africa, an alleged front for Black Axe.
According to Grace Langa, spokesperson for the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid), Ogbeifun, John Ohami and Jeda Quadri appeared in the Kempton Park magistrate’s court on Wednesday in connection with the murder of a Nigerian man in Kempton Park on Monday.
Ipid was called in to investigate after police allegedly killed one of the suspects involved in the murder.
According to an incident report from the police watchdog, after the shoot-out, a police captain from Kempton Park SAPS local criminal record centre was driving nearby when he witnessed the shooting in Central Avenue, opposite a petrol station, at 11.45am on Monday.
Langa confirmed that the incident report seen by Sunday Times Daily was the official Ipid post-incident report.
The applicants have long-standing ties to the Black Axe criminal organisation. Several applicants have ties to the organisation globally.
— State prosecutor Robin Lewis
The report reads: “It is alleged that [the police captain] heard the gunshots. He looked back and saw people running away opposite the Engen garage and made a U-turn. He alleged that he saw four suspects carrying guns running towards a white BMW 1 Series, get into vehicle and drive away. That’s when he took out his service pistol, 9mm Z88, and fired three rounds towards the BMW.
“He tried to chase the vehicle but they managed to escape. He made a lookout and he went back to where the person was shot. He called the ambulance and that person was certified dead by the paramedics and later he was identified as Ajence, a Nigerian national.”
The report says two sergeants from the Kempton Park visible police unit, who were patrolling, heard the lookout on the police radio and spotted the BMW driving recklessly along the R24.
The officers gave chase while exchanging gunfire with the suspects. The chase came to an end at the Gillooly’s interchange, where three Nigerian nationals were arrested. A fourth suspect was allegedly found dead next to where the vehicle had come to a halt.
According to the report, the body of the deceased suspect was taken to the Germiston mortuary for a postmortem.
Ogbeifun and his co-accused are expected to appear in the Kempton Park magistrate’s court on January 13 for a bail application.
Gauteng police did not respond to questions sent by Sunday Times Daily.
According to Ogbeifun’s Facebook page, he is a Nigerian musician based in SA, also known as Nico Dorja. He regularly shares his music, some of which has featured on television music channels.
A regular feature in his music videos and in his social media posts is his affiliation to the Neo Black Movement of Africa, an organisation which is allegedly directly associated to Black Axe.
On a Facebook page created for his record company — called Nico Dorja — Ogbeifun says he was born in Nigeria’s Edo state in 1983 and that he graduated in chemical engineering at the University of Benin, the birthplace of the Neo Black Movement of Africa and Black Axe.
His bio reads that he moved to SA in 2012 to “continue the chase of his musical dream”.
“In 2014, he set up a record label in SA, tagged, J-DORJ WORLD ENTERTAINMENT (Pty) Ltd, with Nico Dorja as the first artiste to emerge from the record label with his debut singles ready to drop soon ... Some new videos have been shot here in SA ... The rapper is also set with his debut album, ready for release soon (sic),” reads his bio.
A music video released in March 2020 for a song called Halele — which has 60,000 views — depicts Ogbeifun clad in full military camouflage and wielding an axe, the signature weapon of the Black Axe.
The music video tells the story of a man who owes Ogbeifun money being kidnapped by him and his crew and held at gunpoint until the man pays Ogbeifun the money.
In another music video titled Kpariwo, Ogbeifun dons a black beret with the Black Axe/Neo Black Movement of Africa symbol.
In April last year Ogbeifun posted pictures of himself next to a Neo Black Movement of Africa East Rand sub-zone poster dressed in full military fatigues.
Ogbeifun’s music videos also feature a subtle clue to to his association with the Black Axe in the form of an abundance of Hydro dollars, a knock-off currency resembling the US dollar and used in the Sandton nightclub Hydro Lounge owned by Nigerian fraudster Abdul Olatunji.
Well-placed sources said Olatunji was convicted in the Palm Ridge specialised commercial crimes court on four dockets relating to business email compromise scams. He is expected to be sentenced on January 18.
Sources said Olatunji is the alleged leader of Black Axe’s Midrand sub-zone.
According to his Facebook page, Ogbeifun also performed at the Eleven 45 nightclub at 310 Oak Avenue in Randburg, an address which also hosted Olatunji’s office according to his now-removed website thehydrofrance.co.za.
Entertainment venue listing site YellowPlace still has 310 Oak Avenue listed as the business address for Hydro Lounge, though Hydro Liquors, Olatunji’s registered business, is registered to 70 Rabie Street in Fontainebleau, Randburg.
Law enforcement sources told Sunday Times Daily that 310 Oak Avenue is an address known to be associated with organised crime.
In October authorities arrested eight Nigerian nationals in Cape Town on fraud charges for crimes allegedly committed in the US. All were denied bail on December 29 in the Cape Town magistrate’s court pending a hearing for their extradition to the US.
According to the heads of argument prepared by state prosecutor Robin Lewis in opposition to their bail applications, seven of the men are members of the Black Axe, with six of these allegedly being leaders in the syndicate’s Cape Town zone.
“The Neo Black Movement of Africa, also known as the Black Axe, describes itself as a movement that operate in zones around the world. Black Axe generally maintains a pyramidal command structure and the worldwide headquarters is in Benin City, Nigeria,” read the state’s heads of argument.
“The zones are regional chapters officially authorised by the national leadership in Benin City. Different zones are responsible for providing money to the organisation, as are individual members. Black Axe publicly disclaims that it is a criminal organisation. However, its members are known to engage in wide-scale financial fraud and the type of street-level violence typically associated with a mob or gang,” it read.
The state alleged that alleged Black Axe Cape Town zone founder Perry Osagiede, 52, its alleged current leader Enorense Izevbigie, 45, and its “council of elders” — Franklyn Edosa Osagiede, 37, Osariemen Eric Clement, 35, Collins Owhofasa Otughwor, 37, and Musa Mudashiru, 33 — defrauded 100 US victims out of nearly R100m through online romance scams.
The seventh accused, Toritseju Gabriel Otubu, 41, was charged with fraud, identity theft and money laundering and allegedly helped Osagiede launder the proceeds of crimes committed in the US.
According to the state, the eighth accused, Prince Ibeabuchi Mark, is also a Black Axe member connected to a case in Texas.
“The applicants have long-standing ties to the Black Axe criminal organisation. Several applicants have ties to the organisation globally. Records legally obtained from Perry Osagiede’s email accounts reflect that Perry Osagiede, Enorense Izevbigie and others were Black Axe members long before the Cape Town zone of the Black Axe was officially recognised by Neo Black Movement of Africa’s worldwide leadership in 2013,” reads the statement.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.