By ALBERT AKPOR, LAWANI MIKAIRU & DANIEL ETEGHE
ROBBERS, Wednessday night, carted away US$600,000 (N95, 969, 998.17 million) from a Bureau De Change operator inside Murtala Muhamed International Airport Lagos.
A source at the airport told Vanguard that the robbers stormed the car park which is usually in darkness and shot sporadically into the air, wounding a woman, before dispossessing their victim of the said amount at about 8.30pm.
The incident, according to the operator who simply identified himself as Salisu took place without any intervention from the security agencies stationed at various locations at the airport.
Salisu said the robbers who arrived with sophisticated weapons traced a Dubai bound passenger that came to change his money into American dollars, adding that the operator ran into the robbers and was disposess of the foreign currency.
However, efforts to reach the Commissioner of Police, at MMA Command, Mr. Gwari Alkali proved abortive as he did not pick his calls or reply the SMS that was sent to him.
The Command Public Relation Officer, Mr Denis Ifijen was also contacted on telephone to confirm the incident but his phone number did not go through.
ROBBERS, Wednessday night, carted away US$600,000 (N95, 969, 998.17 million) from a Bureau De Change operator inside Murtala Muhamed International Airport Lagos.
A source at the airport told Vanguard that the robbers stormed the car park which is usually in darkness and shot sporadically into the air, wounding a woman, before dispossessing their victim of the said amount at about 8.30pm.
The incident, according to the operator who simply identified himself as Salisu took place without any intervention from the security agencies stationed at various locations at the airport.
Salisu said the robbers who arrived with sophisticated weapons traced a Dubai bound passenger that came to change his money into American dollars, adding that the operator ran into the robbers and was disposess of the foreign currency.
However, efforts to reach the Commissioner of Police, at MMA Command, Mr. Gwari Alkali proved abortive as he did not pick his calls or reply the SMS that was sent to him.
The Command Public Relation Officer, Mr Denis Ifijen was also contacted on telephone to confirm the incident but his phone number did not go through.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/02/robbers-cart-n96m-at-lagos-airport/
Expand Sometimes one cannot help wondering the hypocrisy that pervades our daily lives in Nigeria. I remember approaching a Bureau de Change at the MMIA to purchase some US Dollars to enable me pay my fees and other expenses. The Bureau insisted that I cannot purchase more than $5,000, after checking my passport and boarding pass. I pleaded that I needed more than that to meet my expenses but I was promptly turned down. Now, we are talking of a single Dubai-based businessman, who wanted to change N96m into dollars. The Bureau was prepared to oblige him but for the intervention of the robbers.
ReplyDeleteDoes the rule that was applied on me not apply to the businessman? So, a businessman can change any amount? I can now see how easy it is for our thieving leaders to smuggle our resources abroad. A student who needs $10,000 for his fees and living expenses cannot get it but a "businessman" can get $600,000 across the counter, irrespective of the source of funds and what use it is meant for. Anyway, I sympathise with the victim. But it does not speak well of the attitude of the BDCs towards money laundering and flight of ill-gotten wealth from this country.
Expand The government should have a good look at the operations of these bureau de change. Are they a part of money laundering in Nigeria? Are they paying their due tax?
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