NFIU denies being used for political witch-hunt

Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye and Uche Usim, Abuja 

The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) has denied allegations that it was used to witch-hunt opposition parties, and defend the interest of the incumbent government.

A statement, yesterday, by Chief Media Analysts of the NFIU, Ahmed Dikko, “both positions are not only untrue, but patently unimaginable.”

The NFIU had last week distanced itself from reports that it has written  to banks asking them to  make available the “account details of principal officers of the National Assembly and the Judiciary.”

Dikko said there was need to issue a second press release on what it tagged “the leaked letter asking for information on certain categories of public officers.”

Diko said the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Chief Justice of the Federation, as well as senators, members of the House of Representatives, justices and other members of the judiciary were not under investigation by the NFIU.

Last week, the NFIU, in a letter dated September 10, 2019 and signed by Fehintola Salisu, NFIU Associate Director, Analysis and Compliance, directed the Chief Compliance Officer of banks to furnish it with account names, numbers and transaction details of the top civil servants.

Though the reason for the sensitive request was not expressly stated in the letter, but it may not be unconnected with the unit’s recent move to clampdown on those involved in financial graft of gargantuan proportions.

The agency also sought the account details of members of the National Judicial Council (NJC).

Observers said that the NFIU might have come under intense pressure from top politicians and civil servants to stave off any probe on them.