EFCC arrests racketeers of redesigned Naira in Abuja, meets officials of banks

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has arrested members of a syndicate of currency racketeers hoarding and trading with the redesigned Naira notes.

According to a statement by EFCC Spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, the arrests occurred in separate operations in the Zone 4 and Dei Dei axis of the Federal Capital Territory on Saturday, January 28, and Monday, January 30, 2023.

According to Uwujaren, the operation followed intelligence on activities of unscrupulous currency speculators who were exploiting desperate citizens by offering them the new Naira notes for foreign currencies at below the going rate.

The suspects have made useful statements, including disclosure that they were acting in cohort with some unscrupulous officials of Money Deposit Banks, the statement said.

The Commission, Uwujaren said, 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, the EFCC statement said.

He revealed that Zonal Commanders of the EFCC also met on Monday 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.