The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit has started investigating the bank accounts of all judges in the country, including the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Tanko Muhammad.
Also included in the “secret” investigation are the President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan; his deputy, Ovie Omo-Agege; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila; his deputy, Idris Wase, as well as the principal officers and members of the National Assembly.
Also under investigation are the bank accounts of “other relevant politically exposed persons”.
The unit has written to all banks in the country to send them the banking information of the affected persons.
Our correspondent obtained a copy of the letter dated September 10, 2019 on Friday.
The letter signed by the NFIU’s Associate Director, Analysis and Compliance, Fehintola Salisu, gave the banks up till September 13 (Friday) to comply with the directive.
The letter addressed to all Chief Compliance Officers of the banks was tagged “Request for information on all accounts of: 1. the National Assembly. 2. All accounts of all the members of the National Judicial Council. 3. All accounts of all the members of the National Assembly. 4. Accounts of principal officers (Management) of National Assembly Service Commission. 5. All accounts of principal officers of the judiciary.”
The letter read, “Kindly provide the NFIU with a schedule (account names and account numbers) of the National Assembly, members of National Assembly and principal officers of National Assembly Service Commission, as well as all accounts of National Judicial Service Commission and their principal officers, including judges and other relevant politically exposed persons.
“Kindly note that your response is expected on or before September 13, 2019.”
However, the NFIU Director, Modibbo Tukur, told one of our correspondents on the telephone that he was not aware of the letter.
But Tukur said the banks could be sanctioned for leaking the content of the letter, which he described as an “operational issue”.
He said, “You must have seen that the letter was not signed by me. It is an operational issue.
“If it is an operational issue, leaking it is an offence. It is a punishable offence.
“If they are doing their analysis, it may not come to my knowledge. I will find out if you want me to do so.
“But the person you mentioned that signed the letter is an operational director. So anything she signs is confidential. I am even surprised at how the banks allowed it to leak. It is punishable.”
