By Abimbola Ogunnaike
The Economic and Financial Crimes Crimes Commission(EFCC) has disclosed that it has secured the conviction of a woman, Bilikis Adeyinka, for hawking naira notes in the Ikeja area of Lagos State.
The EFCC in a statement on its Facebook page on Thursday, 31 May, 2024 disclosed that the convict was arrested while hawking a sum of N897,900, an act which contravened Section 21(4) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (Establishment) Act, 2007.
Following Adeyinka’s arrest, she was arraigned before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of a Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos State on one count bordering on currency racketeering, an offence she reportedly pleaded guilty to.
The statement read further, “Following her guilty plea, prosecution counsel, C.C. Okezie, called on Olagunju Abdul Malik, an operative of the EFCC, to review the facts of the case.
“Abdulmalik told the court that the defendant was arrested on April 27, 2024, while hawking naira notes at 10 Degree Event Centre, Billings Way, Ikeja, Lagos, following credible intelligence received by the commission.
“According to him, the sum of N897,900 was recovered from her at the point of arrest. Upon her arrest by operatives, she was duly cautioned and she volunteered her statements.”
After the presentation of evidence, Justice Aneke was said to have sentenced the convict to six months imprisonment, with an option of a N50,000 fine.
The judge also ordered that the N897,900 recovered from her be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
In a related development, five Bureau de Change operators were arrested by the Maiduguri Zonal Command of the EFCC on Tuesday.
According to a statement by the EFCC on Thursday, the suspects were arrested at the Borno State Hajj Camp, situated at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim College of Education in Maiduguri following credible intelligence about their involvement in the sale of foreign currencies.
The statement read, “Operatives of the Maiduguri Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on Tuesday, May 28, 2024, arrested five suspected illegal Bureau De Change operators in Maiduguri, Borno State.
“The suspects were arrested in Borno State Hajj camp, situated at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim College of Education, Maiduguri. Their arrest followed credible intelligence about their involvement in the sale of foreign currencies.”
The anti-graft agency concluded that it would prosecute the suspects upon the conclusion of an ongoing investigation.
