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Outcome of BVN fraud probe’ll determine fate of protesting ex-agitators, Amnesty Office insists

By Eniola Daniel
30 March 2023   |   3:33 am
Office of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has declared that findings from the ongoing investigation into multiple accounts of ex-agitators linked to one BVN will determine the fate of protesting beneficiaries.

PHOTO: CHANNEL.TV

Office of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) has declared that findings from the ongoing investigation into multiple accounts of ex-agitators linked to one BVN will determine the fate of protesting beneficiaries.

Speaking with journalists on Tuesday, Mr. Freston Akpor, media aide to PAP Interim Administrator, disclosed that names of those involved in the BVN anomaly have been forwarded to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) for investigation.

Amnesty Office also accused bank officials of colluding with ex-agitaors to aid the “financial crime”.

“So investigation is ongoing and, honestly, I must tell you there is nothing the Presidential Amnesty Programme can do now over this matter until the investigation is concluded and the ONSA takes a decision on what to do.

“This is a financial crime and that is why the ONSA is investigating the matter. The policy is one name, one BVN. But in a situation where you have more than 30 names linked to one BVN, it becomes an issue. 

“We discovered that 513 names were linked to 1370 accounts. And these are the people who have cases to answer. As it stands, those protesting are those with multiple accounts linked to their BVN,” Freston explained.

On the purported “gentleman agreement” with leaders of ex-agitators to receive money in bulk to pay the boys, he said: “It is these same boys, so-called beneficiaries, who have also come to complain that when the money is collected by this so-called leaders, the money doesn’t trickle down to them.” 

A number of ex-agitators had, on Tuesday, gathered on the premises of the National Assembly to protest against the stoppage of their monthly N65,000 stipends, which the PAP office said was necessitated by the issues surrounding BVNs.

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