EFCC Arrests Bank’s Operations Manager For Hoarding New Naira Notes In Abuja

An Operations Manager of a leading commercial bank in Central Area of Abuja was, on Monday, arrested by operatives of the Economic and Financial 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 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 indicated 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 by the operatives in Abuja on Monday. Similar exercises were ongoing in Zonal Commands across the country.

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

The anti-graft agency added that Nigerians finding it difficult to access their funds at any bank and suspect foul play should contact the commission, for immediate intervention.