The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has ordered banks to place a post-no-debit on the bank accounts belonging to 38 companies. The companies are being accused of forex infractions and moving forex abroad without the required authorisation.
The affected accounts belong to betting/gaming, bureau de change and some logistics companies.
One of the companies, Premier Lotto, is owned by Adebutu Kessington, a Nigerian businessman popularly known as Baba Ijebu.
According to TheCable source, one of the gaming companies moved $420 million abroad under the guise of purchasing software, without approval from the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP).
The September 4 memo signed by Bello Hassan, director of banking supervision, read: “You are hereby required to place the under listed accounts on post-no-debit with immediate effect and revert with the account names, numbers, currencies and balances of all accounts placed on PND”.
A post-no-debit means that all debit transactions, including ATMs and cheques, on the accounts have been blocked but money can be deposited into the accounts.
Some of the affected companies are Premier Lotto Limited, 3D Scanners Bureau De Change Limited, Blue Wall Nigeria Limited, JNFX International Limited and Northline Limited.
Others are SV Gaming Limited, R&S Lotto Limited, TM Gaming Networks Limited, Escale Oil and Gas Limited, Barkoli Trading Company Limited, Godoni Enterprises Limited.
The apex bank said only the listed companies should be placed on PND adding that all related accounts be excluded.
