Former Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele has reacted to the content of the reports by Mr Jim Obazee, saying that the Special Investigator appointed by president Bola Tinubu is pursuing “Satanic agenda.”
Emefiele, according to the report by Mr. Obazee, illegally lodged billions of naira in about 593 bank accounts in the United States, United Kingdom, and China without the approval of CBN’s Board of Directors and Investment Committee.
The report also alleged 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.
However, Emefiele in a statement personally signed by him denied all the allegations as contained in the report describing same as “false, misleading and calculated to disparage my person, injure my character and to serve the selfish interest of the private investigator.”
The former CBN boss said contrary to the report on the Naira redesign, “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.
He further said that he’s not aware of any 593 foreign accounts and if anything of such exits, he’s not aware, adding that he has instructed his “lawyers to immediately commence the legal process to clear my name from the defamatory statements contained in the report and by extension the publications.”
His 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 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 that 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 the 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 a directive from the former president and the former SGF. In fact, 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 would 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 the legal process to clear my name from the defamatory statements contained in the report and by extension the publications.
Godwin. I Emefiele
Emefiele was wrong quite alright.
But how about the biggest criminals – criminals buhari and tinubu
Everything about these duo are all lies,
They (buhari and tinubu) sent emefiele to do what he did, so why are they walking freely, all the above write ups are lies and propaganda from buhari and tinubu who can never be trusted.