On May 7, 2024, the Wappa Bureau De Change area of the Fagge local government area was raided by the Kano State Police Command, which resulted in the arrest of 17 accused forex hawkers.
This was revealed in a statement by SP Abdullahi Kiyawa, the Command’s spokeswoman.
According to Kiyawa, the operation was conducted in conjunction with the Department of State Services (DSS) with the intention of eradicating unauthorized activities and stabilizing the foreign exchange market.
29 people were arrested as a result of the police raid, which targeted areas where foreign exchange transactions were occurring.
Following a comprehensive screening process, 12 people were freed due to lack of evidence and their proven innocence, while the remaining 17 were placed under arrest.
The statement partly reads, “At the end of the operation, a total of twenty-nine (29) people were arrested out of which twelve (12) were screened out for lack of evidence while Seventeen (17) were arrested with the following exhibits recovered; (1) Sum of Sixty-eight Thousand (68,000) CFA, and (2) Thirty (30) Rupees (Indian Currency).
“Further investigation revealed that the seventeen (17) suspects were operating under one Association of unlicensed Bureau De Change and they will be charged to Court for prosecution,” the statement read.
According to Kiyawa, the main goal of the operation was to root out those who are operating unlawfully in an effort to stabilize the nation’s foreign exchange market.
As stated by the police spokesman, the arrest does not include actual Bureau de Change operators who do their lawful business from their premises.
Mohammed Gumel, the state’s commissioner of police, praised the police and DSS agents’ joint efforts for the operation’s success.
He cautioned that illicit activities will not be allowed and emphasized the significance of respecting the law while preserving legal operations within the banking industry.
The message urged the public to report any unusual movements or actions to the police, and it further emphasized that the suspects will face legal consequences.
