Afrigather The Financial and Monetary Crimes Fee has make clear its incapacity to prosecute previous circumstances of naira abuse, citing the graduation date of its Particular Process Drive towards Naira Abuse and Dollarisation of the Economic system on February 7, 2024.
In a press release launched on Sunday night time by EFCC’s Head of Media & Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the fee highlighted its stance following the latest imprisonment of controversial crossdresser, Idris Okuneye, popularly referred to as Bobrisky, for Naira mutilation.
Bobrisky, on Friday, April 12, 2024, was sentenced to 6 months in jail over the mutilation of the naira notes.
Oyewale emphasised that whereas the fee has been inundated with movies depicting naira abuse, it would concentrate on investigating and prosecuting new circumstances of such infractions.
“More and more, members of the general public are drawing the eye of the Fee to video recordings of abuse of the Naira by Nigerians from all walks of life.
“These gestures amply exhibit the rising consciousness of the general public to the sanctity of our nationwide forex and the necessity for collaborative engagement to maintain the tempo.
“The Fee will at all times examine and prosecute anybody concerned within the abuse of the Naira,” he stated.
Nonetheless, he cautioned towards circulating previous movies of naira abuse, implying that the fee’s jurisdiction is restricted to circumstances occurring after the institution of its specialised process power.
“Outdated movies being exhumed and flying round for the eye of the Fee are famous because the Fee is delicate to the truth that its Particular Process Drive towards Naira Abuse and Dollarization of the Economic system commenced operations on February 7, 2024.
“Nonetheless, going ahead, new movies of such infractions will likely be investigated and prosecuted.”
Expressing gratitude for the general public’s engagement in combating naira abuse, Oyewale assured that the EFCC stays dedicated to probing and prosecuting people concerned in such acts.
Oyewale additionally said that the fee is investigating a number of celebrities concerned in naira abuse.
“Lots of them have made helpful statements to the Fee and lots of extra have been invited by investigators engaged on the matter.
“The EFCC is not going to relent in its no-sacred-cow mode of operations and the general public must be cautious of operating afoul of legal guidelines towards the crime,” the assertion concluded.
