EFCC nabs Kano Banker, three others for Naira mutilation

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has made arrests involving a banker named Kamaluddeen Lawal and three businessmen for their alleged involvement in the recycling and manipulation of Nigerian currency notes.

According to a statement released on Tuesday by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, the arrests took place at Unity Road, Kantin Kwari Market in Kano State. The suspects, identified as Ismail Ilu, Lamido Bala, and Abba Mohammed, were apprehended following intelligence gathered on their activities.

The EFCC’s action underscores its ongoing efforts to combat financial crimes and maintain the integrity of the nation’s currency.

He said, “Operatives of the Kano Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested a banker, Kamaluddeen Lawal and three businessmen for recycling and manipulating contents of naira notes. The other suspects are Ismail Ilu, Lamido Bala and Abba Mohammed.

“The suspects were arrested at Unity Road, Kantin Kwari market, Kano following credible intelligence on the activities of some individuals suspected to be trafficking huge sums of money in cash.“

Oyewale stated that the investigation revealed that the suspects obtained mutilated naira notes from banks and, with the support of the arrested banker, redeposited some of them, adding that the N7.5m was recovered from the suspects upon their arrest.

He said, “Investigations showed that the suspects specialised in obtaining mutilated naira notes from various banks with the sole purpose of removing a few notes from each bundle and depositing them in their bank accounts with a particular bank where their banker accomplice will receive the money as the original amount.

“The suspects were perpetrating the fraud by going to their respective banks and asking for a certain denomination (in this case, N200 notes) and carefully removing a few notes from each bundle. They would then take it to their accomplice at the bank who would collect the money and make entries as filled in the tellers without counting them on the agreement that they would later give him his share of the money they removed.

“At the point of arrest, a total sum of N7,500,000 was recovered from them. The suspects would be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.”