Operatives of the Edo State Police Command on Thursday raided Bureau de Change offices in Benin City and arrested suspected operators.
Newspot reports that the security personnel raided the Bureau de change offices at Erie street along Sapele road between 8:00 am and 8:30 am.
Eyewitnesses told Newspot that the security operatives shot sporadically and released tear gas during the raid.
The eyewitnesses, who spoke on condition of anonymity and condemned the actions of the police officers, alleged that those arrested were not Bureau de Change operators.
One of the eyewitnesses said the security operatives had informed the operators that they would come on Wednesday which was yesterday, but, they didn’t come .
He said when the police operatives came on Thursday morning, the operators were yet to resume.
“When the police came this morning, they didn’t see the Bureau de Change operators to arrest, they arrested innocent people. They arrested shoemakers, those buying old cartons and others.
“They came with Hilux vans, but some of those they arrested have not taken their breakfast. They arrested many people,” he said.
Another eyewitness, who identified herself as food seller, also condemned the police for allegedly arresting innocent people.
“Those trading in foreign currencies are not here yet. Yesterday (Wednesday) they said the EFCC and police will be coming to arrest them. That yesterday they didn’t come, that is why you see that those selling dollars did not come early today.
“Those arrested are shoemakers, those picking and buying old cartons. One old man came to buy rice of N200 from me now, and he has not even paid when they arrested him.
“Another person was arrested where he wanted to buy indomie on credit. Who will bail that one and where will he get money to bail himself?”, she queried.
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the Edo State Police Command, Chidi Nwabuzor, who confirmed the arrest of the suspected Bureau de Change operators, said the raid was in line with the Federal Government policy to rid the country of illegal sales of foreign currencies.
“What you saw this morning is a legal operation. It is the implementation of Federal Government policy that all Bureau de Change operators that deal on foreign currencies, especially dollars, illegally in our country, should be arrested.
“That operation continues until we get rid of these people especially the dollars in the country,” he said.
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