The attack on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) may have some connection to a complex investigation into the Central Bank of Nigeria’s foreign exchange dealings.
Recall yesterday, several masked assailants attacked the EFCC complex in Abuja, riddling the premises and properties with bullet holes. According to Wilson Uwujare, the public relations head at EFCC, the assailants left a warning to Ishaku Saru.
“The hoodlums escaped in a getaway vehicle but not without leaving a message; a white envelope dropped by the fleeing attackers was found to contain a death threat addressed to Ishaku Sharu.
“Ishaku, who heads the Foreign Exchange Malpractices Fraud Section, is in charge of corruption investigation involving several politically exposed persons and retired military brass hats,” said the media officer of the commission.
According to Independent, sources in the commission say the CBN investigation may have more than ruffled the feathers of culpable parties.
One source said the attack is indicative of a growing desperation of those uncomfortable with EFCC’s search lights. Apart from arms procurement indictment, there is the ongoing probe involving foreign exchange from the CBN recently instituted.
Bureau de changes (BDCs) in the country, in collusion with highly place central bank officers, were caught in sleaze involving obtaining foreign exchange at official rates only to sell them at higher rate at the parallel market. The country’s foreign reserve is believed to have been heavily pillaged by these officers.
“We believe that the suspected assassins could have been from any one of those people being investigated by Ishaku,” explained an operative of the commission.