HURIWA calls for caution over raid on Dangote’s office, interrogation of Banks’ CEOs

Following the controversies trailing the recent invasion of the corporate head office of one of the black World’s most successful business conglomerates, Dangote Group by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Civil Rights Advocacy group: HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has called for caution on the part of the anti-graft institution so as not to create the wrong impression in the international community that even one of Africa’s best organised corporate entities is lacking in transparency and accountability.

The Rights group has also called for the highest exercise of wisdom and discretion on the part of the EFCC even whilst the anti-corruption body has reportedly interrogated some Chief Executive Officers of some of the largest and most successful brands in the commercial banking industry over the financial scams tearing down the ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation which has resulted in the suspension of the minister in charge of that sector Miss. Betta Edu by President Tinubu.

HURIWA said the sensational media coverage of the quizzing of some of the biggest banks in Nigeria by the EFCC is not in the commercial and economic interest of Nigeria just as the Rights group said the anti-graft body need not leak such sensitive information to the public space for media effect and for boosting of the dwindling public image of the EFCC because such information may pass the wrong signals that our banks lack quality control and are print to be manipulated by politicians to do their dirty bidding. “This kind of information is not very good because this may undermine public confidence in the banks.”

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HURIWA agreed with the Dangote Group that the recent invasion of her corporate office in Lagos was targeted at creating the most maximum embarrassment just as the Rights group said although the newly appointed hierarchy of the EFCC may be in a mad rush to win the hearts and minds of Nigerians who are obviously no longer confident that the anti-graft bodies are complying with global best practices given the high rates of economic and sophisticated organised crime happening within the topmost echelons of political administration in Nigeria.

Describing the request from EFCC as not being peculiar to Dangote Group, the Company management said “We understand similar letters were sent to 51 other Groups of companies requesting for the same information spanning the same period.”