MTN illegally transferred "mind boggling" sum out of Nigeria: lawmaker

The amount of money which South Africa's MTN Group is alleged to have illegally moved out of Nigeria is "mind boggling", a Nigerian lawmaker said on Thursday.

"It is not what we can sweep under the carpet. We intend to get to the bottom of the fact, all of the fact, nothing but the fact," said Olusola Adeyeye, a senator, reading out a statement from Senate leader Bukola Saraki. He did not specify what the alleged amount might be.

He spoke at the start of a parliamentary hearing to investigate accusations that MTN transferred at least $14 billion out of Nigeria without observing the country's laws. The company has denied this.

(Reporting by Camillus Eboh; Writing by Alexis Akwagyiram; Editing by Ulf Laessing)