- Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere Ikeagwuonu voiced apprehension about the EFCC’s raid on the Dangote Group, expressing suspicion about its timing
- Ugochinyere warned that such actions could worsen the economic situation, scare investors, and hinder the nation’s growth prospects
Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere Ikeagwuonu, a member of the House of Representatives representing Ideato North South Federal Constituency, has voiced apprehension regarding the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) raid on the headquarters of the Dangote Group.
The EFCC conducted the raid on Thursday, reportedly as part of an investigation into forex allocations in the country. Upon arrival at the conglomerate’s headquarters in Lagos, EFCC operatives requested documents related to foreign exchange allocations over the last ten years. After hours of scrutiny, they confiscated some of the provided documents.
Reacting to this development, Ugochinyere, who also chairs the House Committee on Petroleum Resources, Downstream, expressed suspicion about the timing of the raid. He warned that such actions could exacerbate the economic situation and deter potential investors.
Ugochinyere stated, “The raid on Dangote Group is not only very suspicious but, most importantly, capable of worsening the economic situation and scaring investors. In the last few months, our nation has lost many foreign investors. Now, despite the challenges the nation is currently facing, the EFCC is raiding the headquarters of the largest industrial conglomerate in West Africa.”
He continued, “Dangote Group’s impact for decades has been felt through various facets of Nigeria’s economy. Aliko Dangote, the President of Dangote Industries Limited, has played a crucial role in transforming our economy from heavy import dependence to a net exporter in critical industries. Given our current fragile economic situation, this move by the EFCC will worsen things. Now is not the time for this; it’s time for the nation to focus on the integration of African economies and the expansion of trade and investments across the continent to stimulate growth and create employment opportunities, not conducting raids on its largest conglomerate.”