The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has started investigating the bank accounts of individuals and organizations allegedly sponsoring a planned nationwide protest. This development was reported by Daily Trust.
The EFCC, directed to work with the Department of State Services (DSS), has obtained full details of the sponsors identified earlier. An official from the EFCC, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the agency has already begun its probe into the bank accounts.
The official explained that the investigation aims to understand the sponsors’ level of involvement and prevent potential violence during the protests. “Details of those sponsoring the planned nationwide protest slated to begin on Thursday have been fully acquired. We have begun investigations on them in earnest. We want to know the real intention on why some monies were sent into those bank accounts,” the source said.
The source added that some accounts have been flagged due to receiving funds from foreign countries. “Although some of those accounts have been flagged because the majority of them received funds from foreign countries, investigations need to be deepened,” the official explained.
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When asked about potential sanctions if the sponsors are found guilty, the EFCC official stated that the laws would be applied appropriately, and the individuals would be charged accordingly.
The source also mentioned that the EFCC was tasked with this responsibility due to the sophisticated equipment the agency possesses. Dele Oyewale, the EFCC spokesman, declined to comment on the development when contacted by Daily Trust.
The planned protest, set to take place from August 1 to August 10, 2024, is in response to widespread hunger and economic hardship in the country. On Monday, some protesters were seen displaying placards along the Suleja axis of the Abuja-Kaduna road, expressing their dissatisfaction with the current economic situation.