Police Arrest Bureau de Change Operators in Benin

Edo Police Command Confirms Arrest of Bureau de Change Operators in Benin City

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, who confirmed the incident in a phone chat with journalists, said it was in line with a directive by the federal government.

It was gathered that the police operatives stormed the Bureau de Change offices located at Erie Street, Sokponba Road Wednesday morning and arrested many operators.

One of the operators, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they were arrested without telling them their offenses.

According to him, more operators would have been arrested if all of them were available when the security operatives stormed the area.

He added that some weeks ago, officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), also came to the area without arresting anybody.

He noting that the action of the police was probably to intimidate them out of business.

He said: “We were surprised that this morning, operatives from the Edo State Command came to our stores and started arresting some persons.

“They didn’t even tell us our offenses. The last time the EFCC came here, they did not arrest anybody. But what we don’t know is if the police want to send us out of our business.”