Bureau De Change Operators are foreign exchange for criminals – CBN governor

The Central Bank governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele said on Friday some people collects dollars and other hard currencies from Bureau De Change Operators to buy weapons abroad and import into Nigeria.

Emefiele stated this at the end of Monetary Policy Committee meeting which held at CBN headquarters, Abuja.

He said Bureau De Change Operators have become foreign exchange for criminals and the Central Bank was left with the option of stopping the supply of FOREX to them in other to curtail criminal elements’ nefarious activities.

The governor wondered that continued sales of FOREX tended to increase corruption, promote graft and increasing insecurity, noting that the ban would lessen the rate of criminality in the nation.

“We won’t support the corrupt tendencies of those who illegally buy dollars from our forex market, carry them in aircraft, buy arms and ammunition and bring them back into the country and conduct crimes. Whether it is Boko Haram, banditry and other nefarious activities.”

“Why will CBN give people our forex to go and buy arms? And that is what people want us to continue to do. We cannot do that. What we are saying is that if you have any legitimate need for forex, take it to the bank and they will sell you FOREX.”