EFCC and ICPC swoop hawkers, make arrests
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Hawkers of new naira notes are being raided by graft busters Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), with some fished out on social media.
A joint task force of EFCC and ICPC personnel is in Bauchi to monitor cash disbursement together with officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), with plans to spread the operation across the country.
“Operatives of the [ICPC] from the Bauchi State office joined the taskforce alongside the staff of the CBN and operatives of the EFCC to monitor the disbursement of new currency notes by some commercial banks within Bauchi metropolis,” a top ICPC official disclosed to The PUNCH.
The ICPC on 31 January arrested Oluwadarasimi Emma based in Abuja, with the Twitter handle @SimisolaGold and Twitter name Simisola of Lala, for offering new naira notes for sale on social media.
“Oluwadarasimi Emma, a social media ‘serial entrepreneur,’ who deals in skincare, sales of fuel, facilitation of foreign travels through visa acquisitions, and other businesses, seized the opportunity of the scarcity of the new naira notes to openly market the new notes,” ICPC spokesperson Azuka Ogugua said in a statement.
“It is believed that she is in collusion with key elements in the financial services sector diverting the newly released notes away from banking halls and payment channels into a ‘black market.’”
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EFCC arrests naira racketeers in Abuja
The EFCC has arrested members of a syndicate racketeering new naira notes at Zone 4, Wuse and Dei-Dei axis of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja and plans to raid others in Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Kaduna.
EFCC spokesperson Wilson Uwujaren confirmed the arrests in a statement, per The PUNCH.
The Department of State Services (DSS) has also arrested some naira hawkers who collude with bank officials to sabotage official distribution of the new notes for personal gain.
The EFCC said currency traders are working with corrupt bank officials and vowed to extend its operation nationwide until all the syndicates are rounded up.
“The suspects have made useful statements, including a disclosure that they were acting in cohort with some unscrupulous officials of Money Deposit Banks,” Uwujaren disclosed.
“The Commission will extend the operation to all the major commercial centres of the country until all the syndicates involved in the illegal trade are demobilised.
“Financial system operators are also warned to desist from the sharp practices or risk arrest and prosecution.
“Zonal commanders of the EFCC also met with officials of various banks in their commands in an effort to ascertain the volume of the new notes issued to the commercial banks and how the banks were dispensing the monies to their customers.
“The commanders urged the financial market operators to ensure compliance with the guidelines set by the Central Bank of Nigeria while disclosing that they have dispatched operatives across their commands to monitor the level of compliance by banks and other operators in the financial market.”
