EFCC arrests ex-Nigeria currency printing boss, Okomoyon, over polymer note bribery scandal

Chukwuma Soludo had earlier been questioned over the scandal.

A former Managing Director of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, Ehi Okomoyon, has been arrested for his role in the polymer notes bribery scandal.

Mr. Okomoyon was arrested on Sunday by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Apart from Mr. Okomoyon, another top ex-official linked to the bribery scandal is the former Central Bank Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, who had been questioned by EFCC officials.

While Mr. Okomoyon was the head of the Mint during the bribery, Mr. Soludo was the head of Nigeria’s Central Bank during the period of the bribery.

An Australian company, Securency, which won the bid to print Nigeria’s polymer notes, has admitted paying millions of dollars as bribes to top Nigerian finance officials before it won the bid during the tenures of Messrs Soludo and Okomoyon.

The Mint boss recently resigned from office after allegations that about N2 billion got missing at the Mint while he was head.

More details later…