Emefiele Did Not Benefit From $6.2 Million Looted Funds, EFCC Witness Tells Court

A witness for Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) told an Abuja High Court that former Central Bank Governor Godwin Emefiele did not personally profit from the alleged $6.2 million fraud.

During cross-examination, prosecution witness CP Okpoziakpo Eloho stated that Emefiele, in his own statement to investigators, denied authorizing the release of the funds or acting on any correspondence from the former Secretary of the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha.

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Emefiele in the statement he made, denied ever giving approval and authorization for the release of the money to anybody.

The witness confirmed that an individual named Jibril Abubakar admitted to collecting the $6.2 million from the CBN. However, Abubakar, who falsely claimed to be an SGF staff, did not provide any information suggesting Emefiele benefited. Another CBN staff member, Bashirudeen Maishanu, also confessed to stealing the money.

Despite these confessions, Eloho testified that none of the individuals interviewed or investigated indicated that Emefiele had any direct financial gain. The witness did acknowledge that protocols were breached in the processing, approval, and release of the funds, noting that correspondence from the CBN governor typically follows a specific hierarchical path.

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I recall that on Dec. 13, 2023, we were at Kuje correctional centre where the defendant made his statement in relation to his office on the said the money.