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Alleged Procurement Fraud: EFCC opens case against Emefiele

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, opened its case in the trial of the suspended Central Bank Governor, CBN, Godwin Emefiele, on a procurement fraud charge in an FCT High Court in Abuja.

The anti-graft agency had charged Emefiele with amended 20 counts of criminal conspiracy, conferring undue advantage, and breach of trust, among others, all of which he denied on Friday.

Emefiele was previously charged with six counts and first arraigned on November 28 2023, before the EFCC filed the amended charges necessitating a re-arraignment.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him.

The EFCC’s First Witness (PW 1) Onyeka Ogbu, a Deputy Director in CBN branch operations, while being led in evidence by the EFCC lawyer, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, said 6.2 million dollars was kept aside for international election observers.

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“On Jan.8, 2023, a request for payment of 6.2 million dollars was brought to my attention by the Banking services department.

”Ours is to make payment, we don’t have the power to approve.

” Having gone through the documents and satisfied, I minuted it and sent it for processing and disbursement which was complied to. ” he said.

He prayed for the matter to be stood down to enable him get more documents.

But the former CBN governor’s lawyer, Matthew Burkaa, a SAN, refused the prayer of the prosecution.

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He said an adjournment would be better for the prosecution to get all the Certified true copies and also for the witness to be cross-examined.

After listening to their submissions, Justice Hamza Muazu adjourned the matter to Tuesday for continuation of trial.

In some of the amended charges EFCC, alleged that Emefiele, in January 2023, forged a document titled: “RE: PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE ON FOREIGN ELECTION OBSERVER MISSIONS,” dated January 26 2023 with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/201.

The EFCC said Emefiele claimed to know that it was false “and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(1) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act.”

According to the amended charge marked CR/577/2023, Emefiele, on February 8, 2023, connived with one Odoh Ocheme, who is now on the run, to obtain $6.2m from the CBN, claiming that the SGF requested it “vide a letter dated January 26 2023 with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/201.”

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The anti-graft agency alleged that the contract for the renovation of the CBN Governor’s lodge, located at No. 2 Glover Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, was awarded to a company named Messrs. Architekon Nigeria Limited, “wherein the duo are directors and majority shareholders.”

According to EFCC, the offence contravened the provisions of sections 17 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, and sections 315, 363 and 364 of the penal code.

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Rivers crisis: Why I won’t make peace with Fubara – Wike

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Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has revealed one of the reasons he can’t make peace with Governor Similayi Fubara of Rivers State.

Wike accused Fubara of removing a chief in his family and went ahead to make another person a chief.

The FCT Minister stated this on Wednesday while fielding questions from journalists at a media parley in Abuja.

According to reports, the statement comes amid the ongoing political crisis in the State, with Wike and Governor Similayi Fubara at the center of the feud.

“Sometimes when you people talk about this peace, you don’t take everything. You don’t just sit outside to talk.

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“Look at me, a former governor, Minister of of the FCT, Governor (Fubara) had the temerity, the audacity, because he has money from federation account, because he has more Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), will enter my own family to remove a chief and make another person a chief,” Wike said.

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Police intercept vehicle, recover firearms in Akwa Ibom

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Akwa Ibom state Police Command has said that some locally made firearms have been recovered during stop and search operations along Ikot road in the state .

A statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer in the state DSP Timfon John and made available to Journalists in Uyo on Thursday stated that the recovered firearms was in a determined effort to rid the state of illegal firearms and criminal elements .

The statement reads in parts:” Operatives of the Command intercepted a Mercedes Benz C300 with customized plate number FORBES JR, leading to the recovery of a locally fabricated firearm and two live cartridges.

“The operation, which took place at the Control Post in Ikot Ekpene, was part of the Command’s intensified stop-and-search strategy aimed at curbing crime and enhancing public safety.”

He said the vehicle had three male occupants who were identified themselves as: Nsisong Paul Okon, 27, native of Itak Village in Ikono local government area ,Francis Forbes, 62 from Ikot Akpa Edok Ndiya Village and Prince Forbes, 27, of Ikot Akpa Edok Ndiya Village from Ikono local government area respectively.

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However, John disclosed that the state Commissioner of Police, CP Baba M. Azare has ordered a full-scale investigation into the matter.

“The Akwa Ibom State Police Command reaffirms its zero tolerance for unlawful possession of firearms and remains resolute in ensuring the safety of lives and property across the state”.

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Lagos HoA Crisis: Let Obasa Stay, Tinubu Tells Lawmakers

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President Bola Tinubu has instructed lawmakers of the Lagos State House of Assembly to allow the impeached and reinstated Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, to continue leading the house.

The President made this position known when he met with the lawmakers at the State House in Abuja on Wednesday.

As reported earlier, this is the first time President Tinubu is meeting the lawmakers since the crisis began in the house January 13, 2025.

One of the lawmakers told newsmen that ” Obasa is staying. We will obey the president. What we had was a family meeting. The President condenmed Obasa’s actions but blamed us for not carring him (Tinubu) along during the impeachement execrise”.

However, the lawmaker said President Tinubu warned Obasa to carry everyone along.

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” He also warned him (Obasa) that if there were any future complaints from any quarters, he would be gone. “The President said he should let peace reign; and so based on that, we have accepted.”

On the pending matter in court, the source said: “The President has instructed him to withdraw it.”

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