News

CBN warns Nigerians over rising fraudulent foreign currency transfer claims

Published

1 month ago

November 20, 2024

The Central Bank of Nigeria has raised the alarm over a growing trend of fraudulent foreign currency transfer claims, warning Nigerians to beware of falsified SWIFT documents being used to back such allegations.

In a statement on Tuesday signed by its Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Mrs Hakama Ali, the CBN advised the public to remain vigilant and avoid falling victim to fraudulent schemes involving fake SWIFT messages.

The apex bank disclosed that it has received a wave of complaints from private entities, individuals, law firms, and government agencies, claiming that foreign funds transferred to their accounts remain uncredited.

Many of these complaints, the bank noted, come with fake SWIFT MT103 forms and acknowledgement copies that cannot be verified on the SWIFT network, indicating that the alleged transfers never took place.

The statement said, “Recently, the Central Bank of Nigeria has been inundated with claims by private entities, individuals, law firms and government agencies that foreign currency funds allegedly transferred to them by foreign entities have yet to be credited to their accounts with Nigerian banks.

“In some instances, the claimants alleged that the funds were withheld by either the beneficiary bank in Nigeria or the CBN and requested the assistance of the bank towards releasing the funds to them. The requests are usually supported with fake documents such as SWIFT MT103, SWIFT Ack copy, etc.

“It has become imperative to state that the SWIFT ack copy and SWIFT MT103 that these claimants usually attach as evidence of remittance to beneficiary banks in Nigeria are not reliable. The SWIFT messages are always not traceable on the SWIFT platform, and the funds have not been received to enable their application to the beneficiary’s account.

“In a situation where a fund transfer beneficiary’s receiving bank claims non-receipt of funds remitted by the foreign entity (sending customer), instead of escalating such issue to CBN or Law Enforcement Agencies, the standard practice is for the sending customer to contact the sending bank to send a tracer to trace where the fund is hanging and recall it.”

Clarifying its position, the CBN stressed that it does not provide correspondent banking services for Nigerian banks nor hold accounts for private businesses.

The statement added, “For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state emphatically that the CBN neither provides correspondent banking services for Nigerian banks in foreign payments nor maintains accounts for private business entities. Consequently, petitioners’ claim that the alleged expected inflows for onward credit into the accounts of private business entities are trapped in the CBN is not only spurious but deceitful.”

The bank urged individuals facing genuine cases of unreceived funds to follow standard procedures by contacting the sender’s bank to trace and recover the funds, rather than escalating the matter to the CBN or law enforcement.

It also warned against making unsubstantiated claims, stating that it would not hesitate to report such cases to the authorities for investigation and prosecution.

News

Renovation: Tinubu, Shettima’s official quarters to gulp N6.36bn

Published

1 hour ago

December 23, 2024

Naijablitznews

The Federal Government has allocated a total of N6,364,181,224 billion for the renovation and rehabilitation of the residential quarters of President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, and some of their aides in the 2025 budget proposal.

Sunday PUNCH’s analysis of the proposed allocation, contained in the 2025 Appropriation Bill presented to the National Assembly, showed that the annual maintenance of the Presidential Villa would gulp N5.49bn.

According to the proposed budget, N765m will be used for the renovation of the Vice President’s quarters and guest house.

The renovation of the president’s quarters at the State House will cost N6.39m, while the renovation of security quarters, auditorium, gymnasium and presidential aides’ quarters will cost N49m.

In addition, the renovation of Prescott barracks at Maple State House officers’ mess building and signal office in Asokoro, Abuja will cost N51m.

Further analysis of the budget revealed that Tinubu and his vice are also expected to have N87m as honorarium and sitting allowances, while N127m was allocated for the procurement of SUVs.

Also, N3.66bn was budgeted for the purchase of State House operational vehicles and N1,09bn will be spent on replacement of SUV vehicles at the State House.

Under the budget of the State House Lagos Liaison Office, there is an allocation of N14.72m for the routine maintenance of State House Lagos facilities (Dodan Barracks, Vice President guest houses at Ikoyi, among others).

Another N140.10m was allocated for the completion of renovation and furnishing of the State House annex (Dodan Barracks), Lagos.

Meanwhile, the Federal Government is planning to spend N1.83bn on converting forfeited properties from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission into State House quarters.

The plan to convert forfeited houses from the EFCC comes in the same month that the commission disclosed the recovery of an estate in the Lokogoma District of Abuja, measuring 150,500 square metres and containing 753 units of duplexes and other apartments.

The commission described this as its “single largest asset recovery” since its inception in 2003.

The estate rests on Plot 109 Cadastral Zone C09 of the district, and was forfeited in a ruling on Monday, December 2, 2024, by Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie.

(Punch)

News

SEE NAIRA Rates Against The USD, GBP, EURO Today December 23, 2024

Published

1 hour ago

December 23, 2024

Naijablitznews

WHEN we look at this month, USD was traded at ₦ at the beginning of this December on Monday, December 2, 2024. As at today with USD being traded at ₦1,655 we see a % for United States Dollar to Naira exchange rate for this month.

On this page, we are primarily focusing on the Black Market Dollar To Naira Exchange Rate Today, the USD to Naira currency pair are the most traded currency in the FX market.

Black Market Exchange Rates
Buying Rate
Selling Rate
Dollar to Naira 1655 1640
Pounds to Naira 2150 2000
Euro to Naira 1730 1700
Canadian Dollar to Naira 1146 1135
Rand to Naira 52 43
Dirham to Naira ‎0 0
Yuan to Naira 62 62
G.Cedi to Nair 70 50
CFA F. (XOF) To Naira 0.83 0.81
CFA F. (XAF) To Naira 0.74 0.74
READ ALSO: INSIDE LIFE: 26-Year-Old Lady Died In Bangladesh With No One To Claim Her Body, She Is A Nigerian From Enugu (SEE PHOTO)

Having full knowledge how much USD to NGN black market exchange rate today will give you a better opportunity to plan and make informed decisions.

Nairatoday.com

News

Passengers Stranded As Warri-Itakpe Train Derails In Delta Community

Published

1 hour ago

December 23, 2024

Naijablitznews

Passengers of a train plying the Warri-Itakpe route escaped death on Sunday as the train derailed at Okpara in the Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State.

It was gathered that the passengers were stranded following the incident that happened at about 10pm.

According to eyewitness accounts, some of the passengers got to their destinations on Monday morning.

“The incident happened at Okpara Station last night. They stole many people’s phones and other valuables when they slept at night,” a source said.

“It’s this morning that everybody began to find their way to their various destinations.”

The Nigerian Railway Corporation confirmed the incident in a statement by its spokesman, Yakub Mahmood on Monday.

Mahmood said the service will resume shortly, adding that a team of engineers is at the site of the incident to ensure the track is restored soon.

According to him, the train service will resume as scheduled on Monday afternoon.

The statement reads in part, “The management of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) hereby informs the general public, especially our valued passengers that ply the Warri-Itakpe route, that following the minor derailment yesterday at the Okpara station, the service will resume shortly as our team of engineers are at the site of the accident to ensure the track is restored anytime soon.

“However, Itakpe-Warri (Ujewu) train will resume as scheduled in the afternoon today.

“All inconveniences caused as a result of the minor derailment is highly regretted.”