An anti-graft coalition, Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC), has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to order investigation into an alleged theft by some agents of the Department of State Security Service (DSS) assigned to Senate President Bukola Saraki.
It was reported that the DSS officials stole N310million from funds a Bureau de Change operator was transporting to the Senate President
Taking its cue from the report of an online Newspaper, Sahara Reporters of the 6th of December, 2015, the national chairman of the group, Mr. Olanrewaju Suraju, stated that effective investigation and prosecution of the matter will again send a strong message to criminals waiting on the fringes to perpetrate similar.
"Sahara Reporters, an online newspaper reported that agents of the Department of State Security Service (DSS) assigned to Senate President Bukola Saraki stole N310million from funds a Bureau de Change operator was transporting to the Senate President. However, the Senate President dismissed claims of his ownership of the said sum of money stolen by the DSS officials.
"In a statement released by spokesman of the Senate President, Yusuf Olaniyonu, he said the money did not belong to him and denied any connection with the bureau de change operator concerned. He however admitted that two of the suspects were men attached to the security team of the Senate President.
"The Commissioner of Police for the Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Wilson Inalegwo, also stated that investigations have revealed that the sum of money belonged to the Bureau de Change operator who has not been named and not the Senate President, Bukola Saraki."
The coalition noted further that "the crux of the matter now is the clear case of money laundering on the part of the bureau de change and armed robbery by DSS officials. The Bureau de Change operator was in possession of over N310million cash for the said business transaction, in gross contravention of established rules by the Central bank of Nigeria and Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011. Section 1 of the Act provides.
"CSNAC petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission via a letter dated 16th of December, 2015 demanding an investigation and appropriate actions against the bureau the change, DSS officials and the bank where the withdrawal of such a huge amount of money was authorised in violation of the law on money laundering and laid down rules and procedures.
"Mr. President sir, more than 6 month after the petition and publicly reported case, we are still to hear from the commission. Interestingly, the arrest of 2 of the 5 officials of the DSS involved in robbery and recovery of N66.5m from them, as officially confirmed by the DSS office, was widely reported by the media.
"Also, the police, through an Assistant Commissioner of Police, Okon Okon, of Criminal Investigation Department at the force headquarters, confirmed the conclusion of investigation into the robbery incidence to journalists. As at the time of this petition, none of the law enforcement agencies has taken the appropriate step of prosecuting the officers involved in the criminal act.
"CSNAC is therefore by this petition, demanding that Your Excellency direct these agencies (EFCC, DSS and Police Force) to launch a full scale investigation into this crime by identifying and prosecuting operator of the Bureau de Change; investigating and sanctioning of the bank involved; suspension of the affected officers from service of DSS; and their prosecution for armed robbery by the Police Force. Your effective investigation and prosecution of this matter will again send a strong message to criminals waiting on the fringes to perpetrate similar. Doing otherwise is an endorsement of criminality and promotion of impunity within the law enforcement agencies," the petition reads.
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