Naira Redesign: More Govs Are Under Watch

Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa has said the number of governors being watched by the commission over possible money laundering due to the naira redesign has increased.

He disclosed this to State House correspondent yesterday after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa. He, however, declined to give a specific number of those the commission is monitoring.

Two weeks ago, Bawa had hinted about EFCC’s surveillance activities surrounding three governors, whom he claimed were being watched over actions that appeared to be money laundering, in the aftermath of the federal government’s proposal to redesign the naira.

Asked if it’s true he was using the EagleEye to monitor governors wanting to use stashed funds to pay salaries, he said: “You are mixing two things. EagleEye is an app. It’s a novel idea of the EFCC that we launched for the ease of reporting a crime to us. Nigerians can easily download it on their phones, either Android or Apple or whatever. And then, of course, they can send in complaints to us through The EagleEye, you can even take pictures and send them.

“Let me use this opportunity to remind Nigerians that EagleEye is very important for those that are reporting the hoarders of these currencies that we know are out there.

“So that is one. On the issue of the governors that we are monitoring, the numbers have even increased. We are monitoring everything.”

Bawa also lauded the proposal to redesign the naira, calling it a crucial step in the nation’s fight against financial crime and other types of corruption.

He said the enormous amount of the nation’s currency that has escaped the control of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) makes it difficult to track down financial crimes.

He said the redesigning of the naira is a chance for the government to retake control over the flow of money in the nation.