As the scarcity of new naira notes persists, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arrested officials from two commercial banks in Abuja and Osun State for alleged sabotage.
According to a statement issued by the ICPC’s spokesperson, Mrs. Azuka Ogugua, the arrests are part of the agency’s ongoing crackdown on elements impeding efforts to make the redesigned naira notes available to the public.
Ogugua stated that an Abuja-based bank official was arrested for “deliberately refusing” to upload cash into her branch’s automated teller machines (ATMs), despite the fact that the cash was said to be available and people were queuing at the ATMs.
Findings by the ICPC operatives further indicated that the branch either willfully or maliciously refused to feed the ATMs with the cash.
“Against this backdrop, the ICPC team compelled the bank to load the ATMs with the redesigned Naira notes and ensured that they were all dispensing before arresting the culprit,” the statement reads in part.
“Investigations are still ongoing, and the Commission will take appropriate actions as soon they are concluded.”
In a related development, the ICPC Compliance Team in Oshogbo busted a bank in Osogbo, Osun State where some ATMs were loaded with cash with their wrappers unremoved, preventing the cash from being dispensed.
The team therefore directed that the wrappers be removed, and the cash loaded properly. The Operation Manager of the bank was arrested and taken in for questioning.
Similarly, seven point-of-sale (PoS) operators and a security guard were arrested in Osun for charging exorbitant commissions for cash.
See the full statement below:
News Release
Redesigned Naira Notes: ICPC arrests Bank Officials over Sabotage
In continuation of its clampdown at elements frustrating efforts in making the redesigned Naira notes available to members of the public, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has arrested an official of one of the commercial banks for alleged sabotage.
The bank official, who is the Branch Service Head of Stanbic IBTC Bank, Deidei Branch, Abuja, was taken into custody for her deliberate refusal to upload cash into the branch’s Automated Teller Machines (ATM) even when the cash was available, and people were queuing at the ATMs.
When the ICPC monitoring team stormed the bank at about 1:30 pm to ensure compliance, and demanded explanation as to why all the ATMs were not dispensing cash, it was informed by the branch’s Head of Operations that the bank just got delivery of the cash.
However, facts available to the ICPC operatives indicated that the branch took delivery of the cash around 11:58 am and either willfully or maliciously refused to feed the ATMs with the cash.
Against this backdrop, the ICPC team compelled the bank to load the ATMs with the redesigned Naira notes and ensured that they were all dispensing before arresting the culprit.
Investigations are still ongoing, and the Commission will take appropriate actions as soon they are concluded.
In a related development, the ICPC Compliance Team in Oshogbo has busted an FCMB in Osogbo, Osun State where some ATMs were loaded with cash with their wrappers un-removed, thus preventing the cash from being dispensed. The Team therefore directed that the wrappers be removed, and the cash loaded properly.
However, when a follow-up visit was undertaken the following day to ascertain the level of compliance, the Team discovered that one of the ATMs was still loaded with the wrappers un-removed.
The Operation Manager of the Bank was arrested and taken in for questioning.
Similarly, seven Point of Sale (POS) operators as well as a security guard were arrested during the ongoing exercise in Osun State for charging exorbitant commissions for cash. Investigations however, revealed that they got the money from Filling Stations that collect new notes from fuel buyers, but they then resell the cash to the public at exorbitant rates.
The arrested persons are helping the Commission with information to assist investigations and bust any syndicates involved in the hoarding or sales of the redesigned notes.
Signed: Mrs. Azuka Ogugua