Acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, has said that no Bureau De Change operator involved in the ongoing $2.1bn arms deal probe will be spared.
Magu, who was speaking during a courtesy call to his office in Abuja by Bureau De Change operators on Tuesday, January 5, 2015, also re-iterated the existing mutual relationship between the Commission and the group in the areas of sensitisation and training.
According to him, “My operatives often tell me what they see you during investigations. We need to talk to you, as some of your operators are fond of carrying huge amounts of money out of the country, since they can no longer withdraw more than $300 using the ATM.
‘‘There are fraudulent involvements of Bureau De Change operators in the arms deal scandal. There are reports of some of your members withdrawing as much as N500million in two, three, four tranches in this arms deal scam. So, I am greatly disturbed. I think there should be a documentation regarding your activities, as this will enable your group to checkmate anyone who is involved in any fraudulent activity.”
Mr. Magu said operator found culpable would be prosecuted.
Earlier, the Chairman of Bureau De Change operators, Aminu Gwadabe, had expressed the resolve of the group to join hands with the Commission in the ongoing war against corruption and economic crimes.
Mr. Gwadabe said the delegation was in the Commission to congratulate Mr. Magu and seek collaboration with the EFCC.
“I want to congratulate you on your appointment as acting Chairman of EFCC and pray for God’s guidance, most especially as it is a period of tough choices and decisions,” he said.
He also highlighted some major challenges the Bureau De Change operators were facing from policy regulators and security agencies.
Mr. Gwadabe decried the activities of black marketers who, according to him, had been giving the licensed operators a bad name.
‘‘Most of the time, fraud is perpetrated within the banking premises. However, whenever there is an issue, it is the Bureau De Change operators who are usually attacked. Another problem is the issue of BVN registration, which I believe should have been extended to three years in order to allow more people to be registered,” he said.
He, therefore, urged the Commission to organise seminars, workshop and sensitization programmes as part of efforts to improve the knowledge of the operators.
