The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has summoned Ɗangote Group officials to Abuja for detailed documents on forex transactions spanning nine years.
EFCC operatives stormed the group’s Lagos headquarters, probing alleged forex allocation abuse under ex-CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
During its operation, it was gathered that the anti-graft agency took away some sensitive documents that may be helpful to its current investigation into the truth behind Emefiele’s abuse of power over forex allocation.
However, not satisfied with the content of the documents confiscated, it decided to summon some of the top officials of the company to come along with the documents to its Abuja headquarters on Tuesday, it was reported.
According to a highly-placed official of the company, “Ɗangote, presently in the US, plans to return next week to address the issue personally”. He, however, said senior executives of the company had been mandated to supply the Commission with what he called “detailed and unambiguous documents on the demands by the Commission”.
It was gathered that the officials would be expected at the agency’s office on Tuesday. “Yes, they (Ɗangote officials) asked for time to enable them to get all the necessary documents, which was granted. The idea is not to be seen to be witch-hunting anyone. What the commission wants is to get evidence and details of how government funds were allocated, and that is all”, the EFCC official said.
The official from Ɗangote Group confirmed they’re gathering all the requested documents for the EFCC, aiming to demonstrate the company’s innocence, adding that despite sending documents and staff to EFCC’s Abuja office, they were surprised by the agency’s visit to their Lagos office.
Ɗangote has refuted allegations of forex malpractices and money laundering, and also denied the money channelled to non-Nigerian subsidiaries.
