The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has disclosed plans to probe the directors of 179 Microfinance Banks (MFBs) and four Primary Mortgage Banks (PMBs), whose licences were recently revoked by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The NDIC Managing Director, Bello Hassan, disclosed this during a capacity building workshop for law enforcement agencies.
Hassan said through collaborative efforts, 12 prosecution cases are on-going at various courts, 25 on-going investigations with FMIU, 11 with EFCC and five concluded investigations are with Federal Ministry of Justice for advice and prosecution.
He said the probe is aimed at punishing those found culpable in the collapse of the financial institutions.
“I am aware that 12 prosecution cases are on-going at various courts, 25 on-going investigations with FMIU, 11 with EFCC and five concluded investigations with Federal Ministry of Justice for advice and prosecution.
This is an indication that we are on the right course. As you are all aware, the Central Bank of Nigeria recently revoked banking licences of 183 Microfinance Banks and Primary Mortgage Banks which may require you to be called upon to investigate some of the directors and officers of these institutions with a view to bring to book those found culpable in the collapse of these institutions,” he said.
The CBN had in May revoked the operating licences of 179 Microfinance banks in the country.
An official gazette of the Federal Government, published on the website of the CBN, stated that the licences of the financial institutions were revoked because they ceased to carry on in Nigeria, the type of business for which their licences were issued for a continuous period of six months.
The banks also failed to fulfil or comply with the conditions subject to which their licences were granted; or failed to comply with the obligations imposed upon them by the Central Bank of Nigeria in accordance with the provisions of Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) 2020, Act No. 5.
The microfinance banks include – Atlas Microfinance Bank, Bluewhales Microfinance Bank, Everest Microfinance Bank, Igangan Microfinance Bank, Mainsail Microfinance Bank, Merit Microfinance Bank, Minna Microfinance Bank, Musharaka Microfinance Bank, Nopov Microfinance Bank, Ohon Microfinance Bank, and others.
Finance companies whose licences were revoked include – HHL Invest & Trust Limited, TFS Finance Limited and Treasures & Trust Limited while the four primary mortgage banks whose licences were revoked are – Resort Savings & Loans, Safetrust Mortgage Bank, Adamawa Savings & Loans and Kogi Savings & Loans.