Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) agents raided the Lagos Head Office of the Dangote Group on Thursday, launching a comprehensive investigation into forex allocations made during Godwin Emefiele’s tenure as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor.
The EFCC operatives are scrutinizing the company’s forex dealings, specifically during the period when Emefiele helmed the CBN.
While EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale remained tight-lipped when questioned, a Dangote employee confirmed the presence of EFCC operatives, stating that they were seeking documents related to forex transactions with the CBN.
This development comes after Dangote Group vehemently denied allegations of forex malpractices and money laundering totaling $3.4 billion in November 2023. The EFCC’s focus appears to be on scrutinizing forex allocations to the conglomerate from 2015 until Emefiele’s suspension by President Bola Tinubu, followed by his arrest by the Department of State Services in June 2023.
Despite the intensity of the investigation, interactions between EFCC operatives and Dangote Group staff reportedly remained cordial. Employees, as quoted by Daily Trust, affirmed their cooperation, providing the requested documents to the anti-graft agency.
A source from the EFCC Lagos office emphasized that the inquiry is an ongoing process, with no conclusions reached thus far. “It is an ongoing investigation. Nothing has been concluded yet,” the source stated, highlighting the agency’s commitment to a thorough and impartial examination of the matter.
