Emefiele: EFCC probes Dangote Group, 51 other companies over FX transaction
By Ishaya Ibrahim
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) reportedly stormed the head office of Dangote Group and 51 other companies where they are currently probing forex allocation to the companies during the tenure of Godwin Emefiele as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Workers at the Dangote Group head office in Lagos reportedly confirmed the development on Thursday.
According to the workers who pleaded anonymity because they are not authorized to speak to the media, the EFCC officials are probing all forex allocations to the company during the tenure of Godwin Emefiele as governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, could not be reached for comment on the matter as at the time of filing this report.
But the employee of Dangote Group was quoted as saying the EFCC operatives demanded for documents relating to forex allocation.
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“They asked for documents on forex transactions with the CBN,” the employee said.
Sources privy to the operation said on arrival at the headquarters of the Dangote Group, one of Africa’s largest conglomerates in Lagos, the EFCC operatives demanded documents relating to allocation of foreign exchange to the group in the last ten years.
They then scrutinised the documents provided by officials of the Dangote Group for hours, carting some of them away.
The EFCC, it was learnt, had written to 52 companies directing them to supply documents supporting the allocation and utilization of foreign currencies to them in the last 10 years.
The EFCC letter to the companies is said to be part of ongoing investigation into alleged preferential Forex allocations to individuals and organisations by the Emefiele-led Central Bank of Nigeria.
Investigators have in the past months accused the CBN of favouring and enriching some individuals and companies through non-transparent allocation of foreign exchange to them.
Dangote is one of the prime suspects in the alleged Forex allocation scam.
The company is yet to make an official statement over the development.