In a public statement addressing the recent visit of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) officials to their Lagos headquarters, Dangote Group has shed light on the circumstances surrounding the investigation.
The conglomerate acknowledged the concerns raised among partners, stakeholders, and the public, emphasizing the need to provide an accurate account of the events. According to the statement, the EFCC initially requested details of foreign exchange allocations to the company, prompting a swift response from Dangote Group.
In their response, Dangote Group sought clarification on the specific subsidiaries or companies within the conglomerate that the EFCC required information about. Additionally, they requested an extension to compile the extensive documentation spanning the past ten years.
However, the EFCC allegedly did not provide the requested clarification and did not honor the extension request, insisting on receiving the complete set of documents within a limited timeframe.
Undeterred by the constraints, Dangote Group assured the EFCC of their commitment to providing the required information and pledged to share documents in batches as they completed compilation. On January 4th, the group delivered the first batch of documents to the EFCC, but according to their statement, the officers did not accept the documents, insisting on visiting the Dangote Group offices to collect the same set directly.
During the visit to the EFCC office, Dangote Group representatives claim that a team of EFCC officers came to their office, causing unwarranted embarrassment, despite not taking any documents or files from the headquarters during the visit. Dangote Group emphasized that no accusations of wrongdoing have been made against any company within the group and reiterated their commitment to assisting the EFCC in their ongoing investigation.
Highlighting their significant contributions to the national GDP, status as the largest private-sector employer, and being one of the largest groups listed on the Nigerian Exchange, Dangote Group emphasized their belief in Nigeria’s commitment to the rule of law and creating an investment-friendly environment. They called for understanding and patience from stakeholders and pledged to keep them informed as the situation
