CBN asks banks to block accounts of 18 companies

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed banks to place a post-no-debit on the bank accounts of 18 companies.

A post-no-debit means that all debit transactions, including ATMs and cheques, on the accounts, have been blocked but can receive inflows.

The circular, signed by Haruna B. Mustapha, director of banking supervision, on Thursday, also instructed banks to send details of the accounts.

Last year, CBN also instructed banks to freeze accounts of 38 companies, including premier Lotto, owned by Adebutu Kessington, a Nigerian businessman popularly known as “Baba Ijebu”.

“You are hereby directed to place all accounts of the under-listed customers on Post-No-Debit (PND) restriction,” the circular reads.

The affected companies include Bakori Mega Services, Ashambrakh General Enterprise, Namuduka Ventures Limited, Crosslinks Capital and Investment Limited, IGP Global Synergy Limited, Davedan Mille Investment Limited and Urban Laundry.

Others are Advanced Multi-Links Services Limited, Spray Resources, Al-Ishaq Global Resources Limited, Himark Intertrades, Charblecom Concept Limited, Wudatage Global Resources.

Also included are Treynor Soft Ventures, Fyrstrym Global Concepts Limited, Samarize Global Nigeria Limited, and Zahraddeen Haruna Shahru.

The apex bank did not state any reason for the action.

The affected accounts belong to bureaux de change (BDCs), construction firms, investment companies, laundering services, and property companies.

TheCable understands that it may be connected to the ongoing clampdown on illegal foreign exchange trading since the ban on forex sales to BDCs.

Few days ago, TheCable reported how the bank got a court injunction to freeze the accounts of four technology trading platforms over alleged illegal forex transactions and cryptocurrency trading.

The platforms have denied wrongdoings.

On Friday, the apex also threatened to revoke licences of microfinance banks dealing in foreign exchange (FX) transactions.