The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has invited
more senior officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria as part of investigations
into an alleged foreign exchange scam and other sharp practices within the apex
bank. Reliable sources within the anti-graft agency said the investigators
probing the scam believed strongly that the activities of some officials of the
bank impacted negatively on the fortunes of the naira and contributed to its
drastic slump in recent months.
The PUNCH had exclusively reported on Thursday that the EFCC
detained and grilled two directors on Wednesday. It was, however, learnt on
Thursday that the officials were released late on the same day after writing
statements on oath. A reliable source within the agency had earlier assured our
reporter that the CBN senior officials were being grilled as of the time this
paper was going to bed on Wednesday.
Additional findings by The PUNCH on Thursday revealed that
the senior officials grilled by the EFCC were the Director of Procurement and a
Special Adviser to the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
A top official at the anti-graft agency said the bank
accounts of suspected persons were being scrutinised by security agents with a
view to determining the sources of money and their trails. The source added
that the agents would check if the money which passed through the accounts
corresponded with the salaries and allowances of these officials.
The source said, “We actually invited about four senior CBN
officials on Wednesday but only two showed up. One of them told us that he was
ill and asked us to reschedule the invitation.
“We have now sent out letters to other senior officials and
they will appear before us soon. You should understand that things that involve
the apex bank are always sensitive.”
The source said due to the sensitive nature of the
investigations, the presidency must be carried along. He added that the EFCC
would send a report of the probe to President Muhammadu Buhari after investigations
might have been concluded.
The commission had about four weeks ago commenced
investigations into the activities of the apex bank over sharp practices that
caused the naira to depreciate sharply.
However, immediately after the EFCC investigations commenced,
the CBN reeled out new policies which caused the naira to appreciate.
Detectives at the commission suspect that many top level officers at the CBN
are part of the alleged fraud.
Speaking on Wednesday, a source at the EFCC, who wished to
remain anonymous had said, “We have arrested two directors of the CBN in
connection with forex manipulation. Ironically, immediately we started
investigating these chaps a month ago, the CBN reeled out a new forex policy
which seeks to flood the market with excess dollars to strengthen the naira.
“Already, we have searched their houses and recovered some
sensitive documents. We have reason to believe that they may not have acted
alone. We expect to make more discoveries as investigations continue.”
When contacted on Wednesday, the Acting Director, Corporate
Communications Department, CBN, Mr. Isaac Okoroafor, had said that no director
of the apex bank had been arrested by the EFCC.
He said, “This is not true. No director of the bank
(CBN) has been arrested by the EFCC. The
current activities of the CBN in the
forex market are a result of months of study, monitoring and planning to tackle the activities of
black marketers.”
On Thursday, however, when one of our correspondents
confronted Okoroafor with additional information on the probe and the
designations of those grilled and briefly detained, he was less than
forthcoming. Asked to respond, Okoroafor said, “You have published a false
story that our directors were being detained, what do you want me to say? I have
no comments. You can continue with your falsehood. I have no comment.”
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