By Danlami Nmodu
The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) has debunked 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.”
A statement Friday by Ahmed Dikko, chief media analysts said, “such reports are not true”.
According to the NFIU official, the body has already been statutorily empowered to access all bank accounts. In fact, Dikko added, “relevant reporting entities such as investigative and other Law Enforcement Agencies always rely on the NFIU for information on bank details of individuals and body corporate.”
The NFIU statement signed by Dikko reads thus: “The attention of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), has been drawn to media reports stating that the unit has requested banks to furnish it with the account details of principal officers of the National Assembly and the Judiciary. Such reports are not true,
“In line with its powers as provided in the NFIU Act 2018, the Unit already has access to details of all bank accounts in the country and does not therefore, need to write to commercial banks asking for the same information.
“As a matter of fact, relevant reporting entities such as investigative and other Law Enforcement Agencies always rely on the NFIU for information on bank details of individuals and body corporate under investigation as they go about carrying out their functions. Such is a mandatory reporting process.
“The Unit does not also make blanket requests to all banks as is being speculated in the reports
“The media and indeed the general public are therefore, requested to disregard such reports,” the statement said.