The
management of Skye Bank on Friday
confirmed
holding about $41 million (about
N12.
9billion) belonging to the Nigerian
Investments
Management Services, NAPIMS,
allegedly
kept away from the Treasury Single
Account, TSA
account domiciled with the
Central Bank
of Nigeria, CBN.
The money is
part of about $793.2 million
(about
N249.9 billion) allegedly kept illegally in
the custody
of seven commercial banks.
This was in
violation of the directive by the
Accountant
General of the Federation that
effective
September 15, 2015, all such funds be
transferred
to the TSA account domiciled with
the CBN.
The affected
banks include Skye Bank, United
Bank for
Africa, UBA; Diamond Bank Plc; First
Bank
Limited; Fidelity Bank Plc; Keystone Bank
Limited and
Sterling Bank Plc.
The funds
allegedly kept by the banks include
revenues,
donations, transfers, refunds, grants,
taxes, fees,
dues, tariffs, etc by different
government
ministries, departments,
parastatals
and agencies.
A Federal
High Court in Lagos on Thursday
ordered the
banks to remit the various
amounts sum
into the TSA account at the CBN.
Justice
Chuka Obiozor had in the case brought
by the
office of the Attorney General of the
Federation
ordered the seven banks to
immediately
remit the various amounts
allegedly
kept illegally in their custody to the
designated
Federal Government’s Asset
Recovery
dollars account with the CBN.
Details
showed about $367.4million was
concealed by
three government agencies in UBA,
while about
$41million belonging to NAPIMS,
the Nigerian
National Petroleum Corporation,
NNPC,
subsidiary was placed on fixed deposit
account with
the Skye Bank.
Others
included $277.9million in Diamond
Bank,
$18.9million in First Bank; $24.5million in
Fidelity
Bank; $17million in Keystone Bank; and
$46.5million
in Sterling Bank.
But, Skye Bank,
in a statement on Friday,
confirmed
the $41 million in its custody, but
denied
keeping same illegally or concealing the
transaction.
“The
management of Skye Bank hereby states
that it
neither colluded nor unilaterally hid the
reported sum
or any other funds in its custody.”
it’s
spokesperson, Nduneche Ezurike, said in
the
statement.
“On the
contrary, the said funds are held with
the full
knowledge of the relevant agencies of
government,
including the Central Bank of
Nigeria
(CBN), the DSS, the National Assembly
and the
Inspector General of Police’s Special
Investigation
Panel, with whom we have
engaged
extensively over same,” he explained.
As a law
abiding institution , Mr. Ezurike said
Skye Bank
would not conduct itself in breach of
the laws or
policies of the government,
including
the TSA policy.
He said the
bank would take appropriate legal
steps to
respond to the ruling of the Court come
August 8
when the substantive hearing is
scheduled.
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