A Rivers State Magistrates' Courtroom in Port Harcourt on Tuesday remanded sixteen Bureau de Change operators on the Port Harcourt Correctional Middle for illegal banking fees.
The courtroom discovered that their motion was opposite to the Banks and Different Monetary Establishments Act, 2020.
The pre-trial detention of the BDC operators adopted an ex parte request from the police asking for time to finish the investigation and produce the suspects earlier than the competent courtroom.
The presiding Justice of the Peace, Alatuwor Fubara, adjourned the case till March 7, 2024.
The PONS experiences that operatives of the Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee and the police final week raided BDC operators alongside GRA and Rumuola axis of Port Harcourt, arresting many.
The EFCC and policemen had been seen in six vehicles chasing the BDC operators who often collect across the axis from the Presidential Resort to Rumuola Junction within the metropolis.
The chairman of Bureau de Change Operators within the state, Sanni Saka, had claimed that greater than 100 of its members, together with himself, had been arrested by anti-graft company operatives.
The crackdown on unlawful foreign money merchants is a part of the federal government's efforts to arrest the fast freefall of Naira.
In the meantime, the EFCC, in a press release by its spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, on Tuesday, mentioned it had secured the conviction of two unlawful BDC operators earlier than the Federal Excessive Courtroom in Kano.
In line with Oyewale, Choose Mohammed Yunusa sentenced Munkaila Sani and Mohammed Sani to at least one yr in jail for working with out correct licensing.
He mentioned the convicts had been apprehended by EFCC operatives round Wapa BDC Market and Grand Central Resort, Kano, following details about their involvement in a syndicate that operates foreign money change homes with out correct licensing.
In a press release late Monday, the Kano State Police Command had mentioned it had arrested 9 suspected international change peddlers.
The spokesperson of the command, SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, mentioned the suspects had been apprehended throughout a joint operation carried out on February 21 by operatives of the Kano State Police Command, EFCC; and the Nigerian Customs Service.
“On the finish of the operation, a complete of 31 individuals had been arrested, of which 22 had been screened for lack of proof, whereas 9 had been arrested and the next items of proof had been recovered: $38; CFA 113 (Nigerian foreign money); and Cairo 4,810 (Egyptian pound); Birr 200 (Ethiopian foreign money),” the police spokesperson mentioned.
He mentioned different objects recovered included one money machine and 6 cellphones.
“The 9 suspects have been arraigned for prosecution at Courtroom 70 Normandsland, Kano.
“The essence of this operation is to arrest these components with the intention to stabilize the international change market in our nation. The purpose is to not arrest real Bureau de Change operators conducting their authentic enterprise of their workplaces.
“The Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Usaini Gumel, recommended the operatives of the Nigeria Drive, the EFCC and the Nigeria Customs Service for his or her dedication, cooperation and dedication in guaranteeing the success of the operation which sends the message that illicit monetary actions will happen. won’t be tolerated, and people who interact in such practices will face the complete wrath of the legislation,” the police spokesperson mentioned.
