The accounts of
the Nigerian Embassy in Washington DC and the Nigerian Mission in New York
might have been frozen by the Bank of America and Wells Fargo, two leading
financial institutions in the United States of America over alleged money
laundering activities.
Sources informed
us that the action of the banks was sequel to a suspicious money transfer
remitted to the United States from Nigeria.
Following the
suspicious transactions in favor of the accounts between February and May this
year, the two banks requested the mission to explain the source of the funds
which the Mission could not immediately avail the financial institutions.
Consequently the
sanction had adversely impacted on the finances of the Mission which has made
it extremely difficult for the Embassy to pay its operational bills and staff
salaries.
These monies wired
from Nigeria were aside from the regular money that normally comes into the
embassy accounts to run its operation and other official activities.
Our source said the
embassy was unable to provide satisfactory explanation for about $3.6 million
that was wired into the accounts prompting the banks to freeze the accounts
till further notice.
We also learnt
that these monies are allegedly wired into the accounts of the embassy by some
state governors and other government functionaries, and when they arrive in the
US, the embassy would make the money available to them.
This perhaps helps
these officials to beat some security hiccups which may arise at the point of
entry into the US if they are to carry the huge amount of money with them. It
is not clear whether the two US leading banks have the right to freeze accounts
of a diplomatic mission.
In view of this
development, our source said auditors have been flown in from Nigeria to
reconcile the embassy’s books.
In his reaction to
the issues, Amb. Adefuye, the Nigerian
Ambassador to the US told us that “It is simply false. How can an account that
does not exist be frozen? I know that the New York consulate which is part of
my mission has no account with these banks.”
Meanwhile Wells
Fargo spokesperson could not immediately comment on the issue over the weekend
but promised to properly look into the matter and get back to us.
However, Bank of
America spokesperson did not answer our phone calls and has not replied our
email as at press time.