HSBC was in Nigeria to take funds out for money launderers, says Keyamo

Festus Keyamo, the spokesman of the Muhammdu Buhari Campaign Organisation, says HSBC was in Nigeria to take funds out for money launderers.

Speaking with Osasu Igbinedion on The Osasu Show, Keyamo said the exit of the global bank, which has a presence in 80 countries, does not erode investors confidence in Nigeria.

Last week, TheCable reported the exit of the bank from Nigeria, alongside UBS, a Swiss private bank.

Reacting to the exit of the bank, Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said its always a sad day to see such banks exit the country.

“Always a sad day for our country when such entities pack up. FDI is a key component to economic growth,” Atiku had said.

“My administration will attract more FDI by making the CBN stronger and independent, banish multiple exchange rates and promote market-led economy.”

Reacting to the exit of the bank, Keyamo said: “HSBC does not give loans to anybody, do they? To reflate the economy, to get the economy going. It is not a loan giving bank”.

“It is not a bank that supports small businesses, it is not a bank that even comes here to support big businesses. They are just here to take money out for people.

“Big boys, the money launderers. They help them to take money out.

“That is why you can see that in the UK, HSBC has gone through a lot of money laundering problems, they’ve been fined.

“In the US, HSBC has gone through a lot of money laundering problems, they’ve been fined. And it is there. Like I normally say and people will laugh at me when I say, just Google it, Google it.

“When you want to make politics out of it, you now say it erodes. It doesn’t erode anything. It doesn’t support small businesses in the first place.”

The senior advocate of Nigeria said President Muhammadu Buhari is principally for the poor and the very vulnerable.

“The concentration of the Buhari’s administration is not for the big boys, I am sorry. This a government for the poor and very vulnerable. Anything that protects them, that is what is their concern,” he added.

HSBC, which was founded 153 years ago, has 7,500 offices in over 80 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa.