The Managing Director of Zenith Properties Limited, Maitama Abuja,
Ifobiya Oloruntoba Seyi and the Credit Controller of Exclusive Stores,
Wuse 2, Abuja, Obinna Ararume, are among five persons arrested by the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), over noncompliance with
Anti Money Laundering Laws.
“Three others arrested during the special operation are Mr. Anita Udoh,
one of the managers of Exclusive Stores; Mathew Omale and Babayaro
Alhaji Bako, both security men of Exclusive Stores who obstructed the
operatives of the Commission from carrying out their duties,” a
statement by the spokesman of the commission, Wilson Uwujaren said.
Mr
Wilson said the arrests were carried out by the Special Control Unit
Against Money Laundering (SCUML), as part of the on-going effort to
enforce compliance with anti-money laundering laws by Designated Non-
Financial Institutions (DNFIs).
“Section 5 of the Money
Laundering Act 2011 requires existing DNFIs to submit to the ministry of
commerce, within three months from the commencement of the Act, a
declaration of their activities and all record of transactions in
chronological order, indicating each customers surname, forenames and
address. Section five sub section two further states that “The Ministry
shall forward the information received pursuant to subsection 1 of the
section to the Commission within 7 days of its receipt.
“The
DFNIs include dealers in jewelleries, cars, supermarkets and luxury
goods, chartered accountants, audit firms, tax consultants, clearing and
settlement companies, legal practitioners, hotels, casinos, or such
other businesses as the Federal Ministry of Commerce or appropriate
regulatory authorities may from time to time designate.
“It would
be recalled that the Commission had on October 9, 2012, arrested four
persons over non-compliance with the money laundering law. They were the
Managing Director of NICON Properties Limited, Wuse Abuja, Mr. Yahaya
Atai Odoma; the Accountant of the company, Mr. Rufai S. Bidu; Mr. Obee
Williams Abu and Mr. Enger Peter of Hotel de Lamitel, Kadu Kuchi
district, Abuja.
“Similarly the EFCC had on October 4, 2012,
arrested officials of seven companies for non- compliance. The companies
includes Pent House Properties; Jorany Hotels, Wuse 2 Abuja; Febsons
Hotels Nigeria Limited, Wuse zone 4, Abuja; Nawa Properties, AMAC Plaza,
Wuse Zone 3, Abuja; Grand Product Company Limited, (Grand Square);
Abmed hotels Limited and Lamonde Hotels.
“The Head SCUML, Angela Nworgu says more arrests will be made as the enforcement exercise continues,” the statement said.
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