The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) has thrown more light on the leaked letter asking for information on certain categories of public officers.

“We have noticed that while some individuals who seem to be favourable to Government are creating the wrong impression that the opposition is using the NFIU, those in the Opposition seem to be speaking through some Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and insinuating that Government is using the NFIU to its political advantage. Both positions are not only untrue but patently unimaginable.

“It has become necessary that the officer who initiated the request was obviously unacquainted with the fact that the NFIU already had access to such information through its data base,” a statement issued on Monday in Abuja said.

The statement, which was signed by NFIU’s Chief Media Analyst Ahmed Dikko noted that the Unit “has the major responsibility, in accordance with global standards, to maintain and regularly update the list of Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs).”

“It will be recalled that a new government was inaugurated in May 2019. The officer who initiated the unauthorized letter was also taking the initiative to update the PEPs list. The list includes politicians and political appointees in all organs of government. The update exercise which is a regular practice in order to protect public funds and other assets is also in accordance with global best practice.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Their Excellencies, The Senate President, The Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Chief Justice of the Federation, as well as Senators, Members of the House of Representatives, Justices and other members of the judiciary are NOT under investigation by the NFIU,” the statement said.

It disclosed: “Having been aware that the leaked letter was not subjected to the appropriate level of authorization before transmission, the NFIU has commenced investigation to unravel the persons and factors that led to the inadvertent circumvention of our internal process in this isolated case with a view to applying appropriate sanctions as deterrence.”