Probe Report: Emefiele Fights Back, Denies Opening 593 Illegal Accounts In US, UK, China

…Accuses Tinubu’s Special Investigator Of Pursuing ‘Satanic Agenda’

…Says Buhari Approved Naira Redesign Policy

A former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Godwin Emefiele, has responded to the outcome of an investigative report during his tenure as the apex bank boss accusing the Special Investigator, Mr Jim Obaze of pursuing “Satanic agenda.”

Emefiele said this in reaction to some of the allegations levelled against him in the report, which had already been submitted to President Bola Tinubu.

Emefiele, according to the report, illegally lodged billions of naira in about 593 bank accounts in the United States, United Kingdom, and China.

Tinubu’s Special Investigator, Jim Obaze, had disclosed that Emefiele opened the bank accounts without the approval of CBN’s Board of Directors and Investment Committee.

Obaze had disclosed further that Emefiele deposited £543, 482,213 in fixed deposits in UK banks alone without authorisation.

He had said, “The former governor of CBN, Godwin Emefiele invested Nigeria’s money without authorization in 593 foreign bank accounts in United States, China and United Kingdom, while he was in charge.

“All the accounts where the billions were lodged have all been traced by the investigator.”

The investigator had also found that Buhari did not approve of the naira redesign, adding that it was Tunde Sabiu who first told Emefiele in September 2022 to consider the redesign of the naira.

On October 6, 2022, Emefiele wrote to Buhari that he wanted to redesign and reconfigure N1000, N500 and N200 notes.

“The former President tagged along but did not approve the redesign as required by law. Buhari merely approved that the currency be printed in Nigeria. The redesign was only mentioned to the board of the CBN on December 15, 2022, after Emefiele had awarded the contract to the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc on October 31, 2022,’’ the documents noted.

But reacting to the allegations, Emefiele in a statement made available to THE WHISTLER shortly after his release from prison said categorically that he was not involved in the opening of these accounts and do not have knowledge of their openings

The statement reads, “After my release on bail from the correctional centre, Kuje, my attention was drawn to publications released by the Punch Newspaper and Premium Times online news platforms. The sources of the information published by both media houses were credited to a certain report prepared by a Mr. Jim Obazee, who was appointed by the President as a private investigator.

“I have gone through the publications, and I say boldly that the contents of the said publications are false, misleading and calculated to disparage my person, injure my character and to serve the selfish interest of the private investigator. Because of my present situation, I have been advised by my lawyers not to say anything in respect of the matters which have been submitted to the court for adjudication. However, I need to address some of the issues raised in the publication which are barefaced lies told by the investigator in order to achieve his satanic agenda

“First, it was reported that, contrary to the provision of the CBN Act 2007, there was no presidential approval for the Naira redesign. I wish to state unequivocally that there was indeed a presidential approval, and the said approval was handed over to the same Jim Obazee during the process of his investigation in the presence of senior CBN officials and his own investigative team. Moreover, the former President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR has stated on a number of occasions that he authorised and approved the Naira redesign. I am therefore at a loss as to why Mr. Jim Obazee will mislead Nigerians that there was no presidential approval.

“The report also claimed that the sum of 6.23 million dollars was withdrawn from the CBN vault based on a false presidential directive bearing the signature of the former president Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, and that of the former secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha. About two weeks ago, Jim Obazee in company of a certain Deputy Commissioner of Police from Force CID came to Kuje to ask me questions in respect of the said document in the presence of my lawyers.

“I stated verbally and in writing that I have no knowledge of such directive from the former president and the former SGF. Infact, I told them that that was the first time I would be seeing the documents. On this, I challenge Jim Obazee to publish the said documents and also the statements that I made to them.

“The final issue that I will like to respond to is the issue of the 593 accounts, which were purportedly opened in different parts of the world. I state categorically that I am not involved in the opening of these accounts, and I do not have knowledge of their openings. The fixed deposits in those foreign accounts are definitely outside my knowledge.

“However, let me state clearly, that the relevant departments of the CBN have the authority to carry out such activities in line with their lawful mandate within the CBN. I, therefore join well-meaning Nigerians who have spoken on this matter and have demanded a thorough and transparent investigation of all these alleged frauds.

“Meanwhile, I have instructed my lawyers to immediately commence legal process to clear my name from the defamatory statements contained in the report and by extension the publications. “

ENDS