Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has criticized the recent raid on bureaux de change in Abuja and the subsequent arrest of some operators, calling it a misdirected focus.
According to Obi, the government lacks economic vision, which is reflected in the continuous depreciation of the naira against foreign currencies.
Recent events saw the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) conducting raids on bureaux de change offices in Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, leading to the apprehension of some operators following the naira’s decline to about N1900 per dollar in the parallel market.
During an event organized by his supporters to commemorate the first anniversary of the February 25, 2023, presidential election, Obi criticized security agencies for targeting Yahoo Boys instead of addressing the more significant economic crimes within the government.
Expressing his views, Obi stated, “The recent EFCC raids on bureaux de change offices and the subsequent arrests due to the naira’s depreciation against the dollar represent a complete misallocation of priorities. Those steering Nigeria’s affairs fail to grasp our challenges, and we must overhaul the system.”
As he traveled across Nigeria, both in the North and South, Obi noted the widespread poverty, deprivation, and hardship etched on people’s faces, juxtaposed with their unwavering national identity and hope for a better future.
He added, “I have yet to encounter any impoverished individual who desires not to be Nigerian. Instead, the consensus among them is that Nigeria is inherently good but plagued by ineffective leadership.”
