Crimes

ICPC uncovers N258m in bank’s vault, arrests officials

The operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) have uncovered N258 million stashed in the vault at the head office of Sterling Bank in Abuja.

The cash was said to be the remnant of what the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had given the bank for onward distribution to its branches.

The ICPC, in statement issued on Tuesday by its spokesperson, Azuka Ogugua, said the discovery followed one of the commission’s operations at ensuring that commercial banks and other interest groups do not flout the CBN directive.

Ogugua noted that the ICPC operatives however found out that only N5 million each was distributed to their various branches, adding that the Regional and Service managers were arrested and later granted administrative bail while investigation continues.

In a similar vein, the ICPC has arrested the Head of Operations, Keystone Bank, Mararaba in Nasarawa State for frustrating its customers at getting the new naira notes.

Ogugua stated that the ICPC operatives, while on its routine operation, found out that the Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) at the branch were not dispensing to its customers, while other bank customers were accessing only N1,000.

He said it was after the arrest was made and clarification received from CBN that the position of the officers of the Bank was not correct that the ATMs started dispensing N5,000 to non-customers and N10,000 to its customers.

He stated that the operatives of the anti-graft agency also arrested one Abdulkareem Shaibu, a Security Guard with Zenith Bank, 3rd Avenue Gwarimpa, as well as Ali Adam and Shafiu Umar.

“While Shaibu, the Security Guard was arrested for being in possession of five ATM cards which he was using to collect money for different unknown persons who were not within the Bank premises at that time, Adam and Umar were arrested in front of Zenith Bank, 1st Avenue Gwarimpa, for selling the new Naira notes,” the ICPC spokesperson added.

Ogugua disclosed that two officials of FCMB Ogo-Oluwa, Osogbo in Osun State were arrested for assault of officers of ICPC and CBN Cash Swap Monitoring Team.

It would be recalled that the branch was caught twice for loading wrapped bank notes inside its ATMs last week.

“The team, on a follow up visit to ascertain the bank’s compliance level, was assaulted right inside the Branch Manager’s office by the bank officials who vehemently refused to allow ICPC carry out its lawful duty, and then held hostage for about two hours.

“By the time the reinforcement of Police and NSCDC officers arrived the scene of the incident, the masterminds of the assaults had gone into hiding, leading to the arrest of two bank officers who were also complicit,” he stated.

The Star