Job Loss: Disengaged Workers Besiege PFAs For Pension [Leadership]
Pension Fund Administrators in the country are inundated by request from disengaged workers for their pension, LEADERSHIP Sunday investigations have revealed.
Findings by this paper showed that between April and June this year, over 30,000 sacked workers have applied for 25 per cent of the contribution in their Retirement Savings Accounts (RSAs).
The increasing spate of retrenchment and shutting down of companies majorly in the private sector following the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has compelled disengaged workers to turn to their pension contributions by accessing part of their savings.
The Pension Reforms Act (PRA) 2014 allows contributors under the age of 50 years who were disengaged from work and unable to secure another job within four months of disengagement to access 25 per cent of their individual RSAs.
The most affected are workers whose employers were previously contributing monthly pensions on their behalf but had to disengage them because the companies downsized or closed shops.
To this end, this category of workers was allowed to access 25 per cent of their contributions to make ends meet.
The pension industry regulator, the National Pension Commission (PenCom), which gives final approval to such applications, confirmed to LEADERSHIP Sunday that the PFAs had in the last few months witnessed surge in applications for 25 per cent contributions.
It was also learnt that while most of the applications have been cleared, others are at advanced stage of getting approval, while fresh applications are trickling in as well.
Some of the beneficiaries, industry sources disclosed, are investing the money in their business ideas in a bid to become self-employed, while some use the funds to meet their immediate financial needs.
Head, Corporate Communications of PenCom, Mr Peter Aghahowa, told our correspondent that because of the increase in applications, the commission has strengthened the department responsible for treating such cases, even as he attributed the increase in application to the downturn in the economy occasioned by COVID-19.
He said the commission has already instructed PFAs to prepare for upsurge in the 25 per cent application as workers keep losing their jobs on daily basis.
Aghahowa who noted that the development shows the beauty of the new pension scheme assured that the commission will not hesitate to grant any application as long as it is genuine and fulfills the needed requirements.
He said the pandemic has affected the ension industry the way it has affected other sectors of the economy, adding that the pension asset growth could be slower in the next few months or years until the economy recovers fully.
He stated: “The rate of growth of pension asset could be slow because companies that naturally contributed monthly no longer exist. This means that contributions from that end is no more. Even the existing ones are struggling to meet their pension obligations as at when due.
“Similarly, the Return on Investment of pension asset is now low, but the beauty of this is that pension fund investment is long term. So, it can recover what it lost when the economy improves.”
The director, Centre for Pension Right Advocacy (CPRA), Mr Ivor Takor, told LEADERSHIP Sunday that such deductions would not have major impact on the entire pension asset because the industry has an accumulated savings of N10.57trillion over the years.
He said although he expects pension contribution compliance to be slow this time as companies and individuals embark on survival first before making plans for pension savings, things will change for better as soon as the threatening virus subsides in the country.
“It is just a phase that I expect will not linger for too long. As soon as we are able to suppress COVID-19, the nation’s economy will recover as well as the pension sector,” he pointed out.
Meanwhile, no fewer than 90,000 workers from both public and private sectors were registered into the new pension scheme by their employers within the first five months of the current year.
The Pension Reforms Act (PRA) 2004 prescribes for an employer to contribute equivalent of 10 per cent of a worker’s salary as well as 8 per cent deducted from the worker’s salary to make a cumulative 18 per cent contribution which must be remitted into the Retirement Savings Accounts (RSAs) of each worker monthly.
LEADERSHIP Sunday gathered that while some employers were avoiding this additional financial commitment by not registering their workers under the pension scheme, some companies are beginning to realise the advantages of having a pension plan for their workers, which accounts for why the 90,000 workers were conscripted into the scheme during the most challenging part of the year.
Data obtained from the pension industry regulator, PenCom, shows that between January and May this year, greater part of which falls under the lockdown, 90,000 workers became RSA holders.
Further breakdown revealed that the RSA registration in January alone was 8.93million and rose to 9.02million by the end of May, 2020.
The commission also reported that pension fund assets stood at N10.80 trillion in May, noting that N7.20 trillion of the assets, which is 66.74 per cent, was invested in federal government securities.
Serial Killer Escapes From Police Custody In Oyo [Leadership]
The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Joe Nwachukwu Enwonwu, yesterday disclosed that a suspected serial killer, Sunday Shodipe, has escaped from its custody.
The police boss in a statement signed by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Olugbenga Fadeyi, a Superintendent of Police said the suspect was the prime suspect in the serial killings at Akinyele local government area, Moniya Ibadan of Oyo State.
Shodipe was arrested and paraded along with two others at the Oyo State Police Command on 17th July, 2020 and later charged to court but remanded in police custody, escaped from lawful custody on 11/08/2020.
Consequent upon this, the CP implored the general public to be on the lookout, arrest and immediately inform the officers and men of the command when sighted, for immediate handing over and further action.
He appealed to any member of the public with credible information as to the whereabouts of the assailant not to hesitate in passing same to the Oyo State Police Command to assist in the apprehension of the offender who is now at large.
Reps Summon Oil Firms, Others Over $30m Debt [Leadership]
The Nigeria Agip oil Company, Nigerian Content Development and Management Board (NCDMB) and DE COON Services Limited alongside other Joint Venture (JV) Partners have been invited to appear before the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Upstream next week over an alleged $30 million debt owed DE COON Services Limited.
Chairman of the committee, Hon Musa Sakin Adar (APC-Sokoto), made this known while briefing journalists at the weekend in Abuja.
DE COON Services Limited had petitioned the House, accusing Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) of refusing to pay over $30 million and N70 million accrued outstanding bills for engineering jobs executed in a contract it won via tender for the company since 2014, amongst other infractions that are inimical to the terms contained in the contract.
The committee had on July 29, 2020 summoned NAOC, NNPC and Oando, (the other JV partners) to appear on Wednesday August 12th to explain the discrepancies and their roles in the allegations. However, while officials of NCDMB appeared before the committee on the appointed date, NNPC, Agip Oil Company among others failed to appear.
Adar at the briefing explained that the committee would not relent in its effort in ensuring justice prevails.
IGP orders mop-up of illegal weapons, crackdown on political thugs, criminals nationwide [Sun]
The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has directed commissioners of police, especially those in Edo and Ondo states to identify, isolate, disarm, arrest and prosecute any individual(s) or group(s) in possession of prohibited firearms.
The directives is coming ahead of the forthcoming gubernatorial elections scheduled for September 19 and October 10 respectively.
Adamu said the directive has become necessary to curb the deliberate arming and movement of political thugs and other criminal elements by politicians across the country.
He said the directive is also aimed at addressing the proliferation and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms in the country which is contrary to the provisions of Chapter F.28 LFN 2004 of the Firearms Act.
The IGP’s directive contained in a statement signed by the force public relations officer Frank Mba, said the directive became necessary against the backdrop of the deliberate arming and movement of political thugs and other criminal elements across the country.
“In addition, the directive is targeted at addressing the proliferation and unlawful possession of prohibited firearms in the country which is contrary to the provisions of Chapter F.28 LFN 2004 of the Firearms Act.
“In a similar vein, Commissioners of Police in all the States of the Federation and the FCT have been directed to immediately convene an enlightenment meeting of all vigilante groups and quasi security outfits spread across the country in order to ensure that their activities are in conformity with the extant laws guiding their establishment and operations.
“The IGP, while observing that several civil groups – vigilantes, quasi states and regional security outfits under various guises are arming themselves with prohibited firearms and weapons in contravention of the provisions of the Firearms Act, notes that the trend if unchecked, will pose serious threat to national security.
The IGP enjoins citizens to cooperate with the Police in the enforcement of this order as it is aimed at ensuring safety of lives and property in the country.
A forthnight ago, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had threatened to halt the elections in Edo and Ondo if violence continues.
FG insists on $5.3bn loan from China for Ibadan-Kano rail project [Sun]
- Minister, others appear before Reps panel today
Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has said the Federal Government would require about $5.3 billion loan from China to fund the Ibadan-Kano standard gauge rail project.
Amaechi disclosed this over the weekend after inspecting the Lagos-Ibadan rail project, saying the Ibadan-Kano rail project would take-off once the loan was received.
“We are waiting for approval of the loan. But you will see skeletal activities even before the loan comes. We have not got the loan, but for the Lagos-Ibadan rail project, there is enough money and we have no problem with this project. When we asked the National Assembly to stop the investigation into loans collected for the rail project, it didn’t mean there is no money to complete the Lagos-Ibadan rail project, but what we meant is that they should please allow us to get $5.3 billion loan for the Ibadan – Kano rail project before they start investigating loans. For the Lagos-Ibadan rail, we have a loan of $1.6 billion and Nigeria is contributing between $200 million and $300 million. If your lender knows that your people are complaining that they don’t like the way he lent you loan, he won’t lent you any new loan. Don’t forget, the Chinese have not completed the payment to Nigeria so, they could stop at any time,” he said.
The minister is scheduled to appear before the House of Representatives on Treaties, Agreements and Protocol, over the $400 million loan from China.
Amaechi is expected to appear alongside the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed and the Director General of the Debt Management Office (DMO), Patience Oniha.
Chairman of the committee, Ossai Nicholas Ossai, who confirmed this, yesterday, said the lawmakers are looking forward to meeting with the ministers and others to get clarification on the loan.
“We started the last investigation last month but they could not provide the required answers so we shifted till August 17 to enable them furnish us with all the documents. So, we are expecting him,” Ossai stated.
The lawmaker explained that the committee was not doing anything extra-ordinary, stating that the committee was only discharging its oversight functions.
Daily Sun gathered that the ministers are expected to furnish the committee with the details of the agreement between the Ministry of Transport and ZTE (Nig) Ltd in respect of the provision of community actions and signalling equipment for the Itakpe-Ajaokuta-Warri line.
Also, they are to make available to the committee the agreement between the Ministry of Transport and the China Railway Construction Company International (CRCCI), as it concerns the Itakpe-Abuja line/New Port in Warri project.
The lawmakers at an investigative hearing on July 28, had raised concerns over some clauses in the $400 million loan agreement, which allegedly waived Nigeria’s sovereignty to China in case the country defaults in the repayment plan.
Ossai had pointed out that clause 8 (1) of the $400 loan agreement signed by Ministry of Finance (borrower) on behalf of the country and the Export-Import Bank of China (lender) on September 5, 2018, stipulates that: “The borrower hereby irrevocably waives any immunity on the grounds of sovereign or otherwise for itself or its property in connection with any arbitration proceeding pursuant to Article 8(5), thereof with the enforcement of any arbitral award pursuant thereto, except for the military assets and diplomatic
The Transport minister, who was present at the investigative hearing, had appealed to the committee to discontinue the probe of the proposed, for now, so as not to give the Chinese government the impression that the legislature was not in support of the country obtaining the loan.
NAF deploys 32 Special Forces to Southern Kaduna [Sun]
- Hausa/Fulani community demands own chiefdoms
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) said it has deployed additional 32 special forces to support Operation Safe Haven being executed by the military to restore normalcy to southern Kaduna.
The Air Officer Commanding (AOC ) Air Training Command Kaduna, AVM Musa Mukhtar said in Kaduna, yesterday, that the deployment was in response to the directive of the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, for NAF to support the ongoing operation. The troops deployed two officers, 28 soldiers and two medical staff.
“We also intend to carry out our civil military relation hopefully by next week and send a medical team from our hospitals.”
Mukhtar noted that the operation would be as long as necessary, adding that there were already a contingent of the Defence Special Forces deployed to southern Kaduna, to restore peace in the area.
“We also have air component Commander to coordinate the air power aspect,” he added.
He called on the residents of southern Kaduna to avail the troops with all the necessary and genuine information that will assist in the successful execution of the operation.
“We will process the information and find out its true nature and then act,” he assured.
Mukhtar also called on the residents to give the military all the necessary cooperation, saying, “we are there to assist the civil populace and not to harm them.”
Notwithstanding, the Hausa-Fulani and Muslim community of Southern Kaduna have debunked alleged genocide against the Christian natives of Southern Kaduna as well as the claim that Hausa-Fulani Muslims were minority and settlers in the area.
Addressing a press conference, the Hausa-Fulani community under the auspices of Coalition of United Muslim Group, Kaduna State, Muslim Youth Foundation of Southern Kaduna, Nasihatu Ahlizzaman Southern Kaduna Muslim Forum and Zumunta Youth Development, Kasuwan Magani, said the Muslims constitute 40 per cent of the population while the Hausa-Fulani ws the majority of the about 30 tribes that make up Southern Kaduna.
The Hausa-Fulani/Muslim community leader, Imam Kabir Kasim Kafanchan also claimed that the Hausa Fulani were the original owners of the area called Southern Kaduna, claiming major Christian tribes laying claims to Southern Kaduna originally migrated from other northern states like Kano, Bauchi and Taraba.
He asked the Kaduna State House of Assembly to enact a law stopping the Hausa-Fulani from being referred to as settlers in Southern Kaduna and called on the state government to create chiefdoms for them in places like Kasuwan Magani, Kachia and Zango Urban, which he said were founded by the Hausa-Fulani.
“The area has about 30 ethnic groups in the eight LGAs that make up Southern Kaduna, among which include: Hausa-Fulani, Jaba (Ham), Atyap (Kataf), Kadara (Adara), Baju (Kaje) in addition to Nigerians from other part of the Country. The Muslims constitute about 40% while the Christians have 60% of the population. Most of the major towns in Southern Kaduna were founded by Hausa-Fulani for example, Zango, Kachia, Unguwan Rimi, Zankuwa, Kagarko, Jere and Jama’a (Kafanchan). Hausa Fulani are the largest single tribe in Southern Kaduna. In spite of this, they are always targets or victims of circumstances.”
COVID-19 fear: Mixed reactions persist, concern eases as WASSCE begins today [Punch]
- Parents lament additional financial burden, coronavirus charges
- Provide PPE for yourselves if government fails, NUT tells teachers
Claims by state governments that they had made adequate preparations for students taking the West African Senior School Examinations, which would start on Monday (today), attracted mixed reactions from parents and teachers on Sunday.
State governments told The PUNCH that they had fulfilled all the guidelines released by the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 to prevent a further spread of COVID-19 during WASSCE.
While some parents expressed satisfaction with the preparations, others said state governments were making claims that did not exist.
Some parents, in separate interviews with our correspondents, lamented that COVID-19 had become a tool by schools, particularly private ones, for exploiting students.
Parents said the need to provide face masks, personal protective equipment and other non-pharmaceutical items had increased their financial burden.
In Ogun State, the Special Adviser to the state Governor on Primary and Tertiary Education, Mrs Ronke Soyombo, said apart from teachers in senior schools, all teachers in junior schools were mobilised for the two-week revision for students.
Soyombo, in a chat with The PUNCH, said all students were given two face masks, adding that each school had thermometers, running water and buckets.
But some teachers, who confided in one of our correspondents, lamented that as of Friday, the personal protective equipment had yet to be made available in schools.
While some teachers said they had yet to make provision for social distancing, others said the classrooms had been arranged for the exams.
A teacher, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “As of Friday, there was no provision for the PPE for both teachers and students. Some schools were given facemasks, sanitisers, soaps, infrared thermometer with buckets. Certain schools were given tanks.”
A parent, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “ The school of my children has mandated us to get them at least three face masks, tissue paper, sanitizers and face towels. All these would be shown at the school entrance and if students do not have them, the school won’t allow them in. All these will constitute a financial burden for poor parents.”
In Katsina, the Katsina State capital, Alhaji Abdullahi Moshood, expressed fear about the performance of the students.
Private schools introduce sundry fees
He lamented after resumption, schools, particularly private institutions, introduced sundry fees.
We paid COVID-19 charges – Parent
He said, “The school, which my boys attend, insisted that we must pay N25,000 as third term school fees and also N3,000 per student as COVID-19 charges. Of course, we paid as those were the criteria the schools insisted that we must meet before the children could be allowed to take the examinations.”
But another parent, Mallam Abdulmumin Kusada, whose daughter attends Hassan Iro Inko Girls College, Katsina, lauded the state government for its commitment to the education sector.
He said, “My daughter will take WASSCE. We did not pay any money. We only gave two face masks and a bottle of sanitiser. Since they resumed, the school had intensified their lesson periods.”
Teachers grumble as workload increases
But some teachers lamented that they were still being paid a small amount of money despite their increased workload.
The teachers, who confided in The PUNCH, said some of them were still being paid N10,000 per month.
The Public Relations Officer of the state Ministry of education, Mallam Salisu Kerau, said the state had already commenced monitoring of schools to ensure that the new hours of lessons were complied with.
In Sokoto State, a female teacher at Nana Girls School, Sokoto, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “Apart from the hand-washing basins with water and soap, and the mandatory use of face mask, there are no any extra cautious plans to check the spread of coronavirus as the terminal examination starts on Monday.”
Not all parents can afford tutorial classes — Retired civil servants
On his part, a retired civil servant, Mallam Sani Maifata, said, “It is not all parents that are buoyant enough to arrange extra lessons for their children during the lockdown.”
In Enugu State, a student of the Community Secondary School, Ubahu, in the Nkanu East Local Government Area, Miss Eze Chinemere, told one of our correspondents that students were mandated to provide their face masks.
The Akwa Ibom State Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Ini Ememobong, said adequate provisions had been made to ensure strict compliance by students with COVID-19 guidelines.
However, parents, who confided in The PUNCH, said government was “unnecessarily giving credit to itself.”
One of them said, “We have not seen any of the preparations government is talking about. I have two children sitting for WASSCE. I have not seen anything like face masks and sanitisers, government has given to them
A teacher in the Community Secondary Commercial School, Itam, in the Itu Local Government Area, who also spoke on condition anonymity, said the school was facing a lot of challenges in terms of keeping the environment clean”
Benue parents asked to provide three face masks for each child
In Benue State, parents are to provide at least three face masks for each student, while schools are to disinfect their environments, provide water and soap at points of entry and other strategic places.
A parent, Mr David Iortyom, said, “Since they resumed two weeks ago, my son, Terna, told me that their principal mandated them to get three face masks at least or else they would not be allowed into the classes.”
The principal of Apple International School Kighir, Torhide Abuur, who lamented the two weeks period for preparation, said it was unfair as many students were engrossed in mundane things and hardly had time to read.
He noted that there was low compliance with COVID-19 protocols, adding that most of the schools in Makurdi did not have thermometers and nobody was testing for temperature at the gate.
When contacted, the state Commissioner for Education, Professor Dennis Ityavyar, said all schools that registered for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination in the state would participate in the examination.
A member of staff of Orji Secondary School, Gombe, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the students had been in holiday mood since their return.
On his part, a father of an SS3 student of Government Science Secondary School, Gombe, Adamu Ciroma, said before the resumption of school, his son had been informed on safety protocols.
The state Commissioner of Education Dr. Habu Dahiru, in an interview with The PUNCH, said students were ready for the examinations.
WASSCE: Rivers govt, teachers differ on school’s preparedness
The Rivers State Government also said all necessary arrangements had been made available to secondary schools.
The state Commissioner for Education, Prof Kaniye Ebeku, who disclosed this to one of our correspondents, said the state government had provided all necessary supports to ensure the safety of students.
But some teachers disagreed. They said not all the necessary materials had been provided,
A public school teacher, who confided in The PUNCH, said there were no chairs and desks for the students to write with even though the school was recently renovated.
He said, “They (Government) have distributed hand sanitisers, buckets for washing of hands and they have warned that social distancing should be maintained. Also, they advise that wearing of face mask is compulsory.
On the challenge facing the school, he said, “In my school, there are no chairs and desks for the students to write with.”
On his part, another teacher who simply gave his name as Emmanuel said the school environment, where he teaches, was nothing to write home about.
“Apart from where I teach, some of the government secondary schools here in Oyigbo are not actually clean. Some have overgrown weeds and I don’t think things have been done properly.”
Meanwhile, the West African Examination Council has called on supervisors, invigilators and students to shun malpractices and observe the coronavirus guidelines.
Head, Public Affairs, WAEC, Mr Demianus Ojijeogu, who spoke to The PUNCH in a chat, also said WAEC had provided the PPE for all its supervisors who would be participating in WASSCE supervision.
On his part, the Secretary-General of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Dr Mike Ike-Ene, commended the Federal Government for providing the PPE.
However, he said that governments’ concentration was more for the exit students and environments adding that the NUT had told teachers to take personal responsibility where government failed.
Shoprite battles $10m judgment debt, barred from transferring assets [Punch]
The Federal High Court in Lagos has made an order of mareva injunction stopping Shoprite Checkers (PTY) Limited from disposing of or transferring its assets out of jurisdiction over a $10m judgment debt.
Shoprite has announced its plan to exit Nigeria.
The mareva injunction made by Justice Mohammed Liman was in favour of a Nigerian firm, A.I.C. Limited, which in 2018, secured a $10m judgment against Shoprite in a breach of contract lawsuit.
According to court papers, the $10m judgment was entered in favour of A.I.C. Limited against Shoprite by Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja.
Displeased with the judgment, Shoprite went on appeal but it equally lost at the Court of Appeal and has gone to the Supreme Court.
In the July 14, 2020 mareva injunction, a copy of which was obtained by our correspondent, Justice Liman restrained “the judgment debtor/1st respondent,” and its privies “from transferring, assigning, charging, disposing of its trademark, franchise and intellectual property in a manner that will alter, dissipate or remove these non-cash assets and other assets, including but not limited to trade receivables, trade payables, payment for purchase of merchandise, from within the jurisdiction of this honourable court.”
The judge also mandated the 2nd respondent, Retail Supermarket Nigeria Limited, “to disclose its audited financial statements for the years ending 2018 and 2019 to enable the judgment creditor/applicant determine the judgment debtor’s/respondent’s funds in its custody in order to preserve same in satisfaction of the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Appeal No: CA/L/288/2018.”
A.I.C. Limited had in 2012 sued Shoprite Checkers (PTY) Limited; and Retail Supermarket Nigeria Limited for alleged breach of contract.
The Nigerian firm said it was the one, who invited the South African retail supermarket operators to Nigeria and opened their eyes to business opportunities in the country, with a view that they would go into a joint venture.
The Nigerian firm, however, said after talks had reached an advanced stage and it had incorporated A.I.C.-Shoprite Nigeria Ltd. in the hope of a joint venture for establishment, Shoprite abandoned the agreement and went behind its back to set up its outfit in 2005.
Though Shoprite contended that it had no contract with the Nigerian firm, both the high court and the Court of Appeal said the series of exchanged correspondences between the parties confirmed that A.I.C Limited and Shoprite agreed to a joint venture.
Upholding the high court judgment, the Court of Appeal held, “There is evidence in the record that the 1st appellant allowed the respondent to search for a suitable site for the partnership project and to apply for a lease of land for the partnership project. These involved time, energy and money. The court below held that the conduct of the parties demonstrated intention to enter into a legal relation in respect of the partnership project. I agree.”
Police nab seven for cloning SIM cards to empty deceased’s accounts [Punch]
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a syndicate that specialises in the cloning of Subscriber Identification Module cards of prominent deceased persons.
It was gathered that the gang leader, Osita Nwafor, alias Ossy, was arrested by the decoy team of the Rapid Response Squad at the gang’s hideout after a detailed analysis of its activities.
PUNCH Metro learnt that Nwafor’s apprehension led to the arrest of other members of the gang namely: Nwogu Chike, Anthony Odama, Ikechukwu Nkem, James Okonkwo, Adedio Paulinus and Olufemi Ogundepo.
Our correspondent learnt that the arrest of the suspects foiled the fraudulent transaction of N3m through a cloned SIM card.
According to a statement by the RRS, the suspects work with some bank workers in Nigeria and outside the country.
It was gathered that Chika was working on the transfer of $220,000 from a foreign bank, while Ogundepo was working on the transfer of N25m from an old generation bank in the country before they were arrested.
Nwafor stated that he recruited the gang members in 2019, adding that they worked independently.
He said, “Although I brought the team together, each member of the group has his area of specialisation. We look for potential victims and each member has his role on each of the cases.
“Once I have done my part of the deal by looking for SIMs and accounts numbers, I push them to whoever among the member has to play the next role and that is how we treat our cases and apart from this, each member of the gang also has his splinter group. Whenever they have personal jobs, they also handle on their own.
“Chike look for foreign and local accounts for money lodgements. I don’t know anything about how he does that, I simply hand over to Chike. He has his connections and they work on percentage and once they agree on the percentage when the money comes, everybody gets their cuts.
“We find obituaries of well to do members of the public, use bank insiders to determine the deceased’s account balance and clone their SIM cards for online transfers.”
PUNCH Metro learnt that one of the bank workers, who helped the suspects, was arrested in Lagos, while the other, who is based in Benin, Edo State, had been on the run after he knew that the gang had been busted by the police.
Our correspondent learnt that the suspects had been transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad for further investigation and prosecution.