Why we blocked N83bn traced to sponsors of #EndBadGovernance protest – FG

Not less than N83 billion in cryptocurrency and fiat money channeled towards the just concluded #EndBadGovernance nationwide protests has been traced.

Daily Trust reports that protest against hunger and hardship came to an end last Saturday after 10 days.

According to PUNCH, Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser (NSA), stated this on Tuesday while making his presentation at the inaugural meeting of the Council of State convened by President Bola Tinubu at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.

The funds, Ribadu said include $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.

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Multiple sources with knowledge of the meeting proceedings were quoted the NSA to have 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.

One of the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, 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,” the source said.

While local actors have been arrested, a foreign mastermind is on the run, another source said.

According to the source: “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 by 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.”