ICPC arrests actress Simisola Gold over sale of new naira notes

Nollywood actress, Oluwadarasimi Omoseyin, popularly known as Simisola Gold, has been arrested by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, (ICP) for allegedly offering new naira notes for sale on social media.

ICPC’s spokesperson, Azuka Ogugua announced the Abuja-based influencer’s arrest on Wednesday, 1st of February.

She said intelligence gathered by the anti-graft agency led operatives to seek out and promptly pick up the suspect.

Mrs. Ogugua said; “Oluwadarasimi Emma, a social media ‘serial entrepreneur’ who deals in skincare, sales of fuel, facilitation of foreign travels through visa acquisitions, and other businesses, seized the opportunity of the scarcity of the new naira notes to openly market the new notes. It is believed she is in collusion with key elements in the financial services sector diverting the newly released notes away from banking halls and payment channels into a ‘black market.’

“Oluwadarasimi is currently in ICPC detention and is helping the Commission with its findings on the criminal trading of the naira and the attendant scarcity and negative economic outcomes being caused by the action.

“The action is in furtherance of the collaboration between CBN, ICPC and EFCC in implementing the new cashless policy and naira redesign.”

Meanwhile, a Kaduna man, James Auta has cried out after losing his wife and unborn baby due to the country’s frustrating monetary and health policies and health inadequacies.

His pregnant wife died after visiting a hospital in Kasuwan Magani, Kajuru Local government area of Kaduna state which refused to attend to her.

Mr Auta disclosed that his wife was due to delivery but the hospital management insisted on advance payment before she will get attention.

Unfortunately she died because her husband, despite his efforts to withdraw money from the bank and other terminals, he was unable to get cash.

The grieving man said he went with his wife to the hospital on Monday where the doctor asked him to deposit money before he could examine her.

According to him: “I ran to my bank to withdraw money, but was told no money. I went back looking for POS operators, but I could not find any because, since the issue of new currency began, most POS operator locked up their business centre.”

Auta said that he could not have access to his money, they decided to go back home, trusting God for safe delivery.

She went into a labour at home late at night and he called a nurse but with the absence of medical facilties, the situation took a turn for the worse.

” My wife began labour around 11 pm. Since I could not withdraw any money, I called the attention of a nurse within our locality. But as my wife delivered, blood was coming out non-stop. All efforts by the nurse to stop the bleeding failed,” he recalled.