EFCC arrests Operations Manager of commercial Bank for hoarding new Naira notes

An Operations Manager of a leading Commercial bank in Abuja Central Area was today, February 6, 2023, arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for refusing to load the Automated Teller Machines, ATMs, of the bank despite having N29million of the redesigned Naira notes in the branch’s vaults.

Before he was whisked away for further questioning, the operatives, according to a statement by Wilson Uwujaren, EFCC’s Head, Media & Publicity, ordered the loading of all the ATMs and the payment of the stipulated amount across the counter to the delight of the distraught customers who had spent hours on queues without getting the new notes.

This discovery, which indicates a sabotage of the government’s monetary policy by some banks, was made by the EFCC in continuation of the ongoing surveillance and visit to banks across the country to access their vaults and verify whether they were deliberately refusing to dispense the redesigned Naira notes. More than five bank branches were covered today by the operatives in Abuja. Similar exercises were ongoing in Zonal Commands across the country.

The operation will continue until normalcy is restored to the banking system.

Nigerians finding it difficult to access their funds at any bank and who suspect foul play should contact the commission, for immediate intervention, the statement concluded.