A new investigation by Drop Site News has alleged that disgraced American financier Jeffrey Epstein and former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak sought to capitalise on Nigeria’s Boko Haram insurgency to advance security technology ventures and port-related commercial negotiations.
The report, highlighted by Al Jazeera, is based on emails released by the United States Department of Justice in 2018. According to the documents, Epstein played an intermediary role in discussions involving Jide Zeitlin, then head of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, and Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, former chairman of DP World.
The correspondence reportedly focused on efforts to secure control of key shipping terminals in Lagos and Badagry. Negotiations over the assets had spanned several Nigerian administrations since 2005 but failed to produce an agreement. The report claims DP World was reluctant to proceed with investment in an industrial zone without full authority over the adjacent port facilities.
Bin Sulayem stepped down on February 13 after renewed attention to his past links with Epstein. Epstein died in a New York correctional facility in August 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.
Security as gateway to commerce
Beyond port negotiations, investigators described extensive communication between Epstein and Barak, centring on security cooperation and investment openings in Nigeria.
After leaving office, Barak – who also served as Israel’s defence minister – allegedly used his network to promote Israeli-linked cybersecurity, energy and infrastructure ventures. In 2015, he and a business partner invested $15 million in FST Biometrics, a company 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 heightened Boko Haram attacks. According to the report, the technology was presented as part of enhanced security arrangements at Babcock University and was also pitched to other African governments.
The investigation further referenced a 2020 initiative said to involve the Israel National Cyber Directorate and Toka Group, a cybersecurity company co-founded by Barak, in supporting aspects of Nigeria’s cyber infrastructure development.
In one email exchange cited in the report, Epstein allegedly described regional instability as commercially advantageous. Responding to unrest in parts of Africa and the Middle East, he wrote to Barak, “Isn’t this perfect for you?” Barak reportedly replied, “You’re right in a way. But not simple to transform it into a cash flow.”
The documents suggest that counter-terrorism partnerships were sometimes positioned as entry points for broader business pursuits, including energy projects and logistics concessions.
Political access and surveillance projects
The emails also point to what investigators described as significant access to Nigerian officials. In 2013, Barak attended a cybersecurity conference in Abuja, which organisers allegedly described privately as an opportunity to facilitate meetings with then-President Goodluck Jonathan.
Subsequent exchanges referenced cultivating influential allies within Nigeria’s political leadership. Following these engagements, Israeli defence contractor Elbit Systems was reported to have advanced an internet surveillance initiative in Nigeria, despite concerns raised by lawmakers.
The report contends that Epstein encouraged Barak to convert security relationships into tangible commercial benefits, including efforts linked to port concessions for DP World.
University rejects allegations
Responding to the claims, Babcock University firmly denied procuring Israeli biometric equipment or participating in surveillance or intelligence activities.
In a statement signed by its Associate Vice-President for Communication, Media and Branding, Dr Johnson Akintayo, the institution said it launched an internal audit of procurement and financial records immediately after the allegations surfaced.
The review, the university said, found no evidence supporting the claims. It described the assertions as “entirely unfounded, spurious, baseless and false.”
Babcock emphasised that as a faith-based institution, it adheres to established procurement guidelines in line with Nigerian law and international accountability standards. All acquisitions, it added, are subject to structured approval processes and oversight mechanisms.
The university reiterated its commitment to transparency and ethical governance, distancing itself from any suggestion of involvement in counter-terrorism contracting or foreign surveillance arrangements.