By Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has caused a stir in Ibadan as they stormed the offices of Bureau de Change operators at Sabo, Mokola, Ibadan on Wednesday, resulting in the arrest of 12 individuals.
The unexpected raid left the community in shock as the operatives arrived in the morning and swiftly carried out the arrests. The anti-graft agency was said to have carried out the operation in conjunction with the Nigeria Police, and other security agencies.
Aminu Ibrahim Babankande, the Chairman of the Bureau de Change Operators at Sabo, confirmed the incident, expressing a readiness to cooperate with the authorities.
However, he also highlighted the challenges faced by the operators due to the fluctuating exchange rate between the naira and dollar.
Babankande emphasised that the government holds the key to stabilising the exchange rate and alleviating the economic hardships faced by Bureau de Change operators.
“I don’t know the number now of operators that were arrested. We are still investigating.
“We are ready to cooperate with the government. But the government should know that we are not the ones increasing the exchange rate between naira and dollar. The government knows what to do if they want to crash the exchange rate between naira and dollar.
“If the government wants the exchange rate to crash from over N1,000 to one dollar and to N300 to one dollar, the government knows what to do. This economic hardship is also affecting us too. We still have to buy food items in the market.
“If you come to Sabo now, dollars are very scarce. People don’t bring dollars the way they used to bring it, probably because they are expecting the exchange rate to be $USD1 to N2,000 or more.”
An impeccable source within EFCC confirmed that the raid was carried out on Wednesday morning for about two hours.
He said: “The operation was led by the police. And all the arrested persons are in police custody. The spokesperson of the Oyo State Police Command is in the best position to speak on the number of people arrested and give other details. But I can confirm to you that the raid was carried out. But the main reason why the place was raided, I don’t know.”
The spokesperson for the Oyo State Police Command, Adewale Osifeso, was unavailable for comment on the exact details of the operation, the number of arrests made, and the reason for the raid.