By Babajide Komolafe
The Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) Monday suspended Director of Amazon BDC, Mr. Nwokenta Kingsley, arrested last week by the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) with five other persons for swallowing $156,000.
The Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) Monday suspended Director of Amazon BDC, Mr. Nwokenta Kingsley, arrested last week by the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) with five other persons for swallowing $156,000.
Addreesing a presss conference at the National Secretariat
of ABCON in Lagos, yesterday, ABCON Acting President, Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe
said, “ABCON is shocked and highly embarrassed by this discovery and the
involvement of a BDC operator in such an illegal act”
Mr. Nwokenta Kingsley, Onwuasoanya Augustine, Christian
Okoli Ifor, Nwokenta Emmanuel Maduakolam, Ezenwa Ikenna, 28, a specialist in
wrapping; and Ezenwa Uzoma, a 33-year-old hotel manager were arrested at the
Excel Oriental Hotel Ikeja by the operatives of the Nigeria Drug Law
Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for swallowing $156,000 intended for export to
Brazil.
Announcing the supension of Nwokenta, and Amazon BDC, ABCON
President, Aminu Gwadabe, said, ” We hereby condemn in its entirety the actions
of the Director of Amazon BDC and hereby state that his actions are sharp
contrast to ABCON’s principles and code of conduct for BDC operators.
I want to reiterate that ABCON has a zero tolerance for
non-compliance with regulatory requirement and for unethical conduct amongst
its members.
“It is for this purpose that the Association created the
office of Compliance Officer in its National Secretariat and in all its zonal
offices and also provided official vehicles for the compliance officers to
regularly pay inspection visits to BDCs under their jurisdictions.
Furthermore, the Association has a Disciplinary and
Investigative Committee that handles all cases of unethical conducts by BDC
operators.
“Consequently, and in line with the zero tolerance stance of
the Association, the Disciplinary and Investigative Committee of ABCON has
commenced comprehensive investigations of Amazon BDC and the actions of its
directors and staff.
Furthermore, the Executive Council of ABCON hereby announces
the indefinite suspension of the Amazon BDC, its directors and staff, pending
the outcome of the investigations by the Committee, the NDLEA, EFCC, CBN.
“While this is not to pre-empt the outcome of these
investigations, the suspension is to serve as strong warning to all ABCON
members that any case of illegality and unethical conduct will be severely
dealt with by the Association. We call on all BDC operators not to allow anyone
to use their services or license for money laundering or any act of illegality
and criminality.”
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