As part of efforts to improve the value of the naira, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) attached to the Taskforce on Currency mutilation, Dollarization of the Economy and Forex Malpractice, have arrested 34 suspected currency speculators over alleged foreign exchange fraud.

They were arrested on Friday, April 26, in a sting operation following credible intelligence about illegal sale of dollars at the Wuse Zone 4 area of the FCT, Abuja.

EFCC spokesman, Dele Oyewale, listed the names of those arrested as: Usman Mohammed, Abdullahi Nasir, Abubakar Saleh, Mohammed Kabir Ibrahim, Abubakar Ghadafi, Muktar Usman, Umar Abubakar Abba, Yakubu Sani, Aminu Abubakar, Muhammed Suleman Abara, Yusuf Tahir, Usman Lawal, Usman Lawal, Usman Umar and Amina Garba Rola.

Other suspects as: Muhammed Aliyu, Murtala Haruna, Sani Mohammed, Umar Farouk, Muhammed Sagiuru, Aminu Salisu, Lawal Bello, Munzali Hashim, Jamilu Suleiman, Mustapha Umar, Mubarak Tanimu, Adamu Garba, Mohammed Usman, Bello Musa, Saleh Mohammed Naseer, Zaharadeen Yau, Musa Umaru Adamu, Usman Machido and Abdulaziz Abubakar Abba.

Oyewale said the arrests came on the heels of the EFCC’s consistent efforts to sanitise and stabilise the foreign exchange market.

He said that the suspects would soon be arraigned in court upon conclusion of investigations.

A human rights lawyer representing the four victims of an explosion at the AIRTEL Networks Limited base station at Ikotun Lagos has written to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) seeking sanctions against the major telecoms provider.

In a letter dated 22nd April, 2024, the Lead Counsel for the victims, Dr. Olubunmi Odeniyi urged the telecoms regulator to “Levy appropriate sanctions by way of fines as a deterrence” to others.

The letter was titled “OFFICIAL REPORT/COMPLAINT OF NEGLIGENT AND RECKLESS OPERATION OF AIRTEL AT ITS BASE STATION BTS LAG 767) AT NO. 15/19, ABIODUN IBIDAPO STREET, ASALU BUS-STOP, ABARANJE, IKOTUN, LAGOS STATE ON TUESDAY, 19 MARCH, 2024 CAUSING AN INFERNO RESULTING IN SEVERE LIFE-CHANGING BURNS ON FOUR (4) PEOPLE.”

Odeniyi urged NCC to “Order the immediate closure and cessation of operations at the site to maintain the integrity of the site for appropriate investigation by your Commission and other concerned statutory bodies.”

The human rights lawyer, who stated that “Airtel management have refused to engage the injured in any manner to assuage their desperate medical emergency,” also pleaded with the telecoms regulator to “Direct AIRTEL management to immediately initiate urgent and rehabilitative medical remediation of our Clients.”

The letter reads: “We are Solicitors/Counsel to the four (4 Nos.) innocent passers-by who were severely burned in a fire that broke out at the AIRTEL BASE STATION at No. 15/19, Abiodun Ibidapo Street, Asalu Bus-stop, Abaranje, Ikotun, Lagos State on Tuesday, 19 March, 2024. They are Messrs. FERANMI NURENI OLUWATOBA; SAHEED ADELEKE; FRANKLIN OBADE; and SAHEED RAJI.

“Our Clients were rushed to various hospitals in the vicinity where sporadic and altogether inadequate services are being done hamstrung by the lack of financial capacity by the victims and their families.

“The cause of the explosion was the reckless manner of operations on the site whereat a welder was welding a tank and a diesel supplier making a delivery of fuel at the same AIRTEL site.

“We have brought this dire situation to the attention of Airtel by our duly acknowledged letter dated 2 April, 2024 but Airtel management have refused to engage the injured in any manner to assuage their desperate medical emergency. Our Clients are currently undergoing intense pain and suffering, discomforts, disfigurement, neglect, losses of income and unplanned daily mounting medical bills.

“Our humble request to your Commission is to pro-actively intervene in the following manner:

1. Order the immediate closure and cessation of operations at the site to maintain the integrity of the site for appropriate investigation by your Commission and other concerned statutory bodies;

2. Direct AIRTEL management to immediately initiate urgent and rehabilitative medical remediation of our Clients;

3. Further direct AIRTEL to promptly and adequately compensate the injured; and

4. Levy appropriate sanctions by way of fines as a deterrence.

“Our Clients rely on your Commission as their conditions cannot survive with a protracted court litigation which will only favor AIRTEL.”

It was unclear at press time whether Airtel Networks has been notified of the petition.

A Kogi State High Court sitting in Lokoja has ordered the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, to appear in court on May 13, 2024, to show cause why an order of committal should not be made against him for allegedly disobeying court order.

The EFCC boss is facing a contempt charge for carrying out “some acts upon which they (the EFCC) have been restrained” by the Court on February 9, 2024, pending the determination of the substantive Originating Motion.

Justice I. A. Jamil, delivering a ruling in Suit No: HCL/68M/2024 and Motion No: HCL/190M/2024, ordered that “the said act was carried out by the Respondent (EFCC) in violation of the order, which was valid and subsisting when they carried out the act. That same act of the Respondent amounts to Contempt.

EFCC operatives had laid siege on the residence of the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, as early as 8 am on April 17, 2024, with a bid to arrest him, despite a court order restraining them from taking such action, pending the determination of the Originating Motion.

Justice Jamil’s order was based on a motion ex-parte filed by Yahaya Bello through his lawyer, M.S. Yusuf, where he prayed to the court for an order to issue and serve the Respondent (EFCC Chairman) with Form 49 Notice to show cause why Order of committal should not be made on Olukoyede.

Having listened to the arguments of the Applicant’s counsel, the submission and the exhibits attached in the Written Address, Justice Jamil granted Yahaya Bello’s prayers and ordered Olukoyede to be summoned to appear before the court to answer the contempt charge.

Delivering his order on the motion on April 25, 2024, Justice Jamil said, “The applicant’s application before me is to the effect that the Respondent has carried out some acts upon which they have been restrained by this Court on the 9th of February, 2024, pending the determination of the substantive motion on Notice before this Court.

“That the said act was carried out by the Respondent in violation of the order which was valid and subsisting when they carried out those acts. That same acts of the Respondent amount to acts of contempt.

“That the Respondent should be summoned to appear before this Court to answer to the contempt charge.

“It’s against the above facts that this Court hereby grants the prayers sought in line with the principle of “Audi Ultra Patem”. To wit:

“An order of this Honourable Court for the issuance of Form 49 Notice to show cause why an order of committal should not be made against the Executive Chairman of the Respondent – Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

“An order for service of Form 49-Notice to show why an order of committal should not be made on the Executive Chairman of the Respondent – Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at EFCC Corporate Headquarters, Plot 301/302, Research and Institution District, Abuja.

“This matter is adjourned to the 13th of May, 2024 for the Respondent’s Chairman to appear before this Court in answer to form 49 ordered to be served on him.”