The Nigerian government says it has traced at least N83 billion in cryptocurrency and fiat money channelled towards recent nationwide protests.
The breakdown shows $50m of cryptocurrency — $38m of which were blocked in four cryptocurrency wallets — and N4bn contributed by various political actors in Abuja, Kano, Kaduna and Katsina.
The report by Punch newspaper on Wednesday said that the disclosure was part of the presentation by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, at the inaugural meeting of the Council of State convened by President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja on Tuesday.
‘The Nationwide Protest As It Affects National Security,’ also revealed that an European has been identified as the mastermind of the proliferation of foreign flags during the protests and will soon be declared wanted by the Police,” he said.
One of the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, disclosed that local conspirators traced to capital city Abuja, Kaduna and Kano have been arrested.
“In his presentation, the NSA said the government was able to trace $50m to crypto wallets that were made as donations to the protests. They succeeded in blocking four of those wallets containing $38m.
“They also found out that some political actors contributed N4bn to fund the protests,” one of the sources told The PUNCH.
The PUNCH had reported on Tuesday that President Tinubu convened the Council of State meeting to discuss, among other matters, the recent #EndBadGovernance protests, national security, the economy and food security.
Another source privy to the discussions at the Council of State meeting told the Punch that these local actors have been arrested, with the foreign mastermind on the run.
The source said, “The NSA also briefed the Council that there was some element of foreign interference in the protest, that they found out that some foreigners fueled the protests. It was not just about Nigerians protesting against hardship.
“A foreign agent had been found to be connected to it and would soon be declared wanted y the Police. The police will make the announcement this week.
“This agent is a person of interest with his Nigerian collaborators; most of them have been arrested. They are looking for him. But his collaborators in Abuja, Kaduna, Kano and Katsina have been arrested. The NSA also confirmed that eight people died during the protests.”
GIK/APA