The National Security Adviser, Uhu Ribadu, has issued directives to law enforcement agencies like CBN to take decisive action against individuals involved in speculation within the foreign exchange market.
According to Ribadu, these measures are aimed at safeguarding the stability of Nigeria’s foreign exchange market and combating the disruptive actions of speculators.
Reports from intelligence sources indicate that these currency speculators have been employing various tactics to manipulate the market, both domestically and internationally, thereby undermining the efforts of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to stabilize the foreign exchange market and stimulate economic activities.
A statement released by his spokesperson, Zakari Mijinyawa, on Tuesday, revealed that the Nigeria Police Force, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit will collaborate to crack down on these illicit activities.
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The statement said, “In a concerted effort to safeguard Nigeria’s foreign exchange market and combat speculative activities, the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) are joining forces to address challenges impacting the nation’s economic stability.
“The CBN’s proactive measures to stabilise the foreign exchange market and stimulate economic activities have been commendable. However, the effectiveness of these initiatives is being undermined by the activities of speculators, both domestic and international, operating through various channels, thereby exacerbating the depreciation of the Nigerian naira and contributing to inflation and economic instability.”
It added, “Recall that, to address the exchange rate volatility, the CBN initiated a comprehensive strategy to enhance liquidity in the forex market, including unifying FX market segments, clearing outstanding FX obligations, introducing new operational mechanisms for bureau de change operators, enforcing the net open position limit for commercial banks, and adjusting the remunerable Standing Deposit Facility cap.
“To reduce the pressure on the naira, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has raised a 7,000-man special task force across its 14 zonal commands to clamp down on dollar racketeers.
“Yet, recent intelligence reports have highlighted continued illicit activities within the Nigerian foreign exchange market; the ONSA and CBN are therefore embarking on this collaborative approach to tackle these infractions.
“The primary objective of the “alliance is to systematically identify, thoroughly investigate, and appropriately penalise individuals and organisations involved in wrongful activities within the FX market,” the statement stressed.
“This joint effort underscores the commitment of the Nigerian government to improving its Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) framework and exiting the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force,” it said.
