Wetin go happun wen official withdraw one Naira from goment account from March – NFIU

Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari

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As part of im fight agaisnt corruption, Nigeria goment don draw ear give goment official to obey di ban on cash withdrawal from goment accounts or face di consequences.

Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) bin declare 1 March, 2023 as deadline for cash withdrawals from federal, state and local goment accounts plus including all dia Ministries and Department Agencies (MDAs).

Director of NFIU, Moddibo Tukur make dis announcement on Thursday wen e dey tok tok wit tori pipo for Abuja.

President Muhammadu Buhari goment declare war against corruption as part of im agenda as head of di kontri for 2015.

Na based on dis Oga Tukur say im agency go make sure dem deal wit official wey go break dis new ban according to di law once dem enta di month of March.

NFIU say e no plan to change dia mind and any goment official “wey withdraw even one naira cash from any public account from March 1, dem go investigate and prosecute am”.

Dem go do am in collabo wit “Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices Commission and Nigeria Police Force.”

N1billion naira withdrawal

NFIU say goment official don withdraw pass N1 trillion from federal, state and local goment accounts since 2015 reach 2022.

Enforcement of di new law go beginning from 1 March 2023.

Di ban on cash withdrawal from goment accounts according to di director bin dey necessary becos civil servants for di kontri no sabi how to do money laundering plus related offences.

Di way wey civil servants bin don dey take withdraw money from state goment account dis days don expose dem to offences of money laundering, im tok.

Tukur say dis new move wey dem make go reduce di rate wey dem take dey withdraw money from public accounts wit bold face as dem dey break di laws against money laundering and sometimes for corrupt purposes.

Di Nigeria goment decision for dis ban na based on section 3(1) (a) – (s) and section 23 (2) of di NFIU Act, 2018, and oda provisions under di Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 (MLPPA, 2022) wey provide guidelines for all financial institutions, non-financial institutions and public officials for di kontri.

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Wetin dis new ban mean?

Dis new ban no mean say goment officials no fit use di money wey dey for public accounts to do work.

Wetin e mean be say all transactions for goment account must be online and e must to pass through di banks for proper account.

Oga Tukur say NFIU don tell: “banks and goment agencies for all levels make dem go fully digital by moving online, as all transactions wey involve public money must pass through banks for di purpose of accountability and transparency.

But, dis no mean say if goment need cash dem no go fit get cash o.

E possible to get cash if dem get permission from di president of Nigeria.

“For goment exigencies, only di President get power to grant any waiver to any goment official considering how important di situation dey; either for national security, health, or oda important reasons.”

Buhari fight against corruption

Although presido Buhari admit for im last Independence Day speech as Nigeria president, say im fight against corruption for di kontri neva reach wetin im plan, im goment don make “significant progress.”

Fight against corruption na di main focus of Buhari since im enta office for 2015.

For di speech, e say di number of corruption court cases don increase seriously as dem don carry many pipo go court, and dem don also recover more stolen funds plus return di ones wey dem steal go hide for body abroad.

Di goment also boast of stronger institutions wey dey tackle corruption and dem don get international support.