By Saidu Idris
There is palpable tension and fear at the Abuja headquarters of the National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB), over what 365Daily gathered is the unusual attention the agency has been receiving lately from operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
365Daily’s findings indicate that so far about eight officials of the regulatory agency have been arrested by the EFCC for alleged official malfeasance and outright financial fraud.
Many people in the agency now discuss the development in hushed voices, as they don’t know the extent the EFCC investigations would go.
While the affected officials are already telling the EFCC what they know about some questionable transactions in their bank accounts, the main target is said to be the Executive Director of the NFVCB, Adedayo Thomas, who they said is allegedly using the arrested officials to siphon money in the agency.
The ED is alleged to have paid various amounts of money into the bank accounts of some of the affected staffers, for phony sundry issues, only to, allegedly, surreptitiously make them withdraw the monies and return same to him.
On Monday, November 16, EFCC officials visited the agency again and went away with several documents, including staff attendance register.
The embattled ED, Thomas, a journalist and economic rights advocate was appointed on March 30, 2017 by President Muhammadu Buhari as Executive Director of the agency. He is said to be fondly called ‘DAYO ADUKE-THOMAS’ in social circles, and as OBAMA by youths and political colleagues.
The National Film Video Censors Board is the regulatory body set up by Act No.85 of 1993 to regulate films and the video industry in Nigeria. The Board is empowered by law to classify all films and videos, whether imported or produced locally. It is also the duty of the Board to register all films and videos outlet across the country and to keep a register of such registered outlets, among other functions.