The Federal Government has commenced an investigation into bank accounts belonging to Senate President Ahmed Lawan, Speaker of the House of Reps Femi Gbajabiamila and other principal officers of the National Assembly.

The probe conducted by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) would also investigate accounts owned by Nigeria judges including the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Tanko Muhammad.

A letter dated Sept. 10, 2019, and signed by NFIU Associate Director, Analysis and Compliance, Fehintola Salisu, stated that the Chief Compliance Officers of banks were directed to release the account details of all legislators and judiciary officials in the country.

The Financial Intelligence agency further asked the banks to provide account names, numbers and transaction details of the top civil servants.

NFIU listed judges and national assembly members but failed to listany member of the executive arm of government for the same investigation.

The letter with reference: NFIU/ACCFT/ACCOBANKS/VOL.I/877/PO5IA29 reads:

“Request for Information on All accounts of the National Assembly, National Judicial Council (NJC), all the members of the National Assembly, principal officers (management) of the National Assembly Service Commission (and) of principal officers of the judiciary.”

“Kindly provide the NFIU with a schedule (account names and account numbers) of the National Assembly, members of the National Assembly and principal officers of the National Assembly Service Commission, as well as all accounts of National Judicial Service Commission and their principal officers including judges and other relevant politically exposed persons.”

The agency led by Hamman Tukur directed the banks to forward the information on or before Friday, September 13, 2019.

The agency’s operations came into full force last year when President Muhammadu Buhari signed a bill that made it autonomous and independent from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The new law empowers the agency to among other things, “receive currency transaction reports, suspicious transactions reports, currency declaration reports and other information relating to money laundering and extremists financing activities from financial institutions.”

•Pieced together from stories by NAN and The Guardian.

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