Money laundering: More governors on watchlist – EFCC
Abdulrasheed Bawa, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said that the number of state governors under close watch by the commission over money laundering allegations has increased from the three that were mentioned earlier.
Bawa’s revelation is coming as the Federal Government, through the monetary authority has intensified efforts to mop up the huge cash that is outside the banking and financial system across the country.
He stated this on Thursday while speaking to State House correspondents shortly after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa Abuja.
The anti-graft agency boss however, declined to put a figure to the increase, saying that he did not want to be misrepresented.
Fight against financial crimes: Bawa was also full of praise for President Buhari for giving his approval to the new naira redesign project, describing it as a significant process in the country’s fight against financial crimes and other forms of corruption.
He said the huge amount of Nigeria’s currency that is outside the control of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) makes tracking financial crimes difficult, noting that the naira redesigning is an opportunity for the government to regain control over the flow of cash in the country.
On trail of serving governors: Recall that in the wake of the announcement of the redesign of N1,000, N500, and N200 notes by the CBN, Bawa, about 2 weeks ago, hinted that 3 serving state governors are under close monitoring over moves to launder cash through table payment of salaries to workers.
Although he did not reveal the identities of the 3 governors, Bawa said 2 of them were from the North, while the third one was from the southern part of the country.
The EFCC boss had, according to reports, said that the intelligence at the disposal of the commission revealed that the 3 governors had concluded plans to inject the money into the system through table payment of their state workers’ salaries.
