On Thursday, operatives from the Edo State Police Command carried out a raid on Bureau de Change offices in Benin City, resulting in the arrest of several suspected operators.
According to reports by NewsNow, the security personnel conducted the raid at the Bureau de Change offices located on Erie street along Sapele road between the hours of 8:00 am and 8:30 am.
Witnesses who were present at the scene informed NewsNow that the security operatives fired gunshots and used tear gas during the operation.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the eyewitnesses criticized the actions of the police officers, alleging that those who were apprehended were not actually Bureau de Change operators.
One of the eyewitnesses mentioned that the security operatives had notified the operators of their visit on the previous day, Wednesday, but when they arrived on Thursday morning, the operators had not yet resumed their activities.
“The individuals arrested were not the Bureau de Change operators; instead, innocent people were caught up in the raid. They detained individuals like shoemakers and those involved in recycling old cartons,” the witness stated.
Describing the situation further, the witness explained, “The police arrived in Hilux vans, and some of those captured had not even had their breakfast. The number of people arrested was significant.”
Another eyewitness, who identified herself as a food seller, voiced disapproval towards the police for allegedly detaining individuals who were not engaged in foreign currency trading.
“The individuals who engage in foreign currency trading are not present at the moment. They were warned yesterday that the EFCC and police might come for them. Due to their absence in the morning, those who sell foreign currencies did not arrive early today,” she explained.
“Among those apprehended were shoemakers and individuals buying old cartons. An elderly man wanted to purchase rice worth N200 from me, but before he could pay, he was taken into custody,” she added.
Concerns were also raised about the predicament of someone who was detained while attempting to buy indomie on credit. The food seller questioned, “How will he be released on bail, and where will he find the funds to secure his freedom?”
Responding to inquiries, the Public Relations Officer of the Edo State Police Command, Chidi Nwabuzor, confirmed the arrest of the alleged Bureau de Change operators and justified the raid as part of the Federal Government’s efforts to combat illicit foreign currency transactions.
“The operation conducted this morning was lawful and aligned with the Federal Government’s directive to apprehend all Bureau de Change operators engaged in illegal trading of foreign currencies, particularly dollars, within our nation,” Nwabuzor stated.
He further added, “This enforcement action will persist until we eliminate these individuals, particularly those dealing in dollars, from our country.”