The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) and Other Financial institutions (OFIs), to conduct searches on their database for a Nigerian and four others, arrested over alleged involvement in currency counterfeiting amounting to $1 billion, which was bound for African countries.
The apex bank said the directive was in pursuant to Regulation 4 of the CBN Anti-Money Laundering, Combating the Financing of Terrorism and Countering Proliferation Financing of Weapons of Mass Destruction in Financial Institutions) Regulations, 2022, (CBN AML/CFT/CPF Regulations).
An administrative letter to the DMBs and OFIs, signed by the CBN Director, Financial Policy and Regulations Department, Chibuzo Efobi, listed the arrested suspects as Dele Bolade, Samson Babaola, who holds both Nigerian and Swedish citizenship; Kean Kwasi Arhin from Ghana; Netanel Jacob Weiss, from the United Kingdom; BO Nils Olof Forsanker and Peter Willi Herbert Schick both from Sweden.
Dated August 23, 2023, the letter also directed the banks to check whether they maintain any accounts or hold any funds or economic resources for the persons involved.
The banks were further requested to identify and file suspicious transactions reports to the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and render NIL reports to the unit where no such records exist.
The CBN also directed the banks to comply with the directive immediately.
Credit: THE CONCLAVE.
