The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is set to arraign the former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele, on Monday, April 8, 2024, at the Ikeja State High Court in Lagos. Emefiele, along with his co-defendant, Henry Isioma Omole, will face charges of alleged abuse of office related to the allocation of billions of United States dollars.
The arraignment, presided over by Justice Rahman Oshodi, involves a 26-count charge filed by Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), dated April 3, 2024.
The EFCC alleges that Emefiele committed the abuse of office between 2022 and 2023 in Lagos.
The Commission alleged that Emefiele “directed to be done in abuse of the authority of your office, as the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, an arbitrary act, to wit: allocating foreign exchange in the aggregate sum of $2,136,391,737.33 without bids, which act is prejudicial to the rights of Nigerians.”
EFCC further alleged that Emefiele, between 2020 and 2021, in Lagos, “directed to be done in abuse of the authority of your office, as the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, an arbitrary, act to wit: allocating foreign exchange in the aggregate sum of $291,945,785.59, without bids, which act is prejudicial to the rights of Nigerians.
Emefiele was alleged to have, in 2021, in Lagos, “directed to be done in abuse of the authority of your office, as the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, an arbitrary act, to wit: special allocation of foreign exchange in the aggregate sum of $1,769,254,793.16, which act is prejudicial to the rights of Nigerians.”
In count four, the sum involved was $370,872,893.01.
Emefiele’s co-defendant Omoile was alleged to have November 17, 2020, in Lagos, whilst acting as an agent accepted from Raja Punjab through Monday Osazuwa, the total sum of $110,000, for Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, gifts as a reward for allocating foreign exchange by the Central Bank in favour of Raja Punjab’s employer.”
According to the charge, the offences committed contravened Section 73 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
