BGL Group, sponsored individuals to appear before APC over N2.9bn fraud

By Chioma Obinagwam

Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has said it has invited the BGL Group which consists of BGL Securities Limited, BGL Assets Management Limited and their sponsored individuals to appear before the Administrative Proceedings Committee (APC).

“This follows the receipt of ten new complaints, with total monetary value of over N2.9 billion, against them, received between 20th May, 2015 and 10th November 2015 from various investors,” SEC said in a notice on its official website.

According to the Commission, the investors have alleged several violations of the Investments and Securities Act (ISA) 2007, SEC Rules and Regulations as well as the Code of Conduct for Capital Market Operators including, amongst others; performance of a capital market function without due registration, promoting and marketing products not registered by the Commission.

Others are failure/refusal to resolve clients’ complaints, failure to file statutory returns and furnishing the Commission with false and misleading information.

“The respondents have been duly notified of their invitation to appear before the SEC APC and have been asked to file their defense ahead of the hearing. The hearings are slated to hold on Wednesday 3rd February, 2016 during which the respondents would be given fair-hearing on each of the allegations,” SEC affirmed.