Nigerian military authorities on Wednesday sealed off the Maiduguri office of the Mercy Corps, a humanitarian nongovernmental organisation following interception of the sum of N29 millions in Gwoza local government area of Borno State on Tuesday, sources said.
This is coming barely a week after the military blacklisted Action Against Hunger, an NGO, for allegedly providing food and medical assistance to terrorists.
A senior military officer had told our correspondent that the clampdown may be extended to more NGOs in weeks to come as he alleged that some of them operating in the Northeast were working in support of the war by insurgents on the nation.
BusinessDay learnt that a detachment of soldiers chased away Mercy Corps staff Wednesday morning, and took over the premises.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had in March intercepted N54million at the Maiduguri International Airport belonging to Mercy Corps.
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The commission said four persons and two NGOs were connected to the seized cash and were being investigated.
EFCC gave the names of the suspects as Abdullahi Yarima, Francis Bako, Saraya Umaru, and James K. Yadzugwa, while the NGOs are Mercy Corps and Development Exchange Centre.
The anti-graft agency said it acted on intelligence report to intercept the cash at the airport.
According to EFCC, investigation into Mercy Corps’ accounts revealed that it has 15 bank accounts with different Bank Verification Numbers (BVN).
Also a BVN search on Development Exchange Centre showed that it had 40 bank accounts with different Bank Verification Numbers, the agency said.
A statement by the anti-graft agency noted that it was probing alleged “cases of criminal conspiracy, money laundering and terrorist financing initiated following an intelligence report to the commission on the 18th March, 2019 against Mercy Corps and four others.
Ladi Jossy
