In a vehement response, former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, has rejected allegations of financial misconduct outlined in the recent report by the Special Investigator on the CBN and Related Entities.
Emefiele, currently facing accusations of illegally depositing Nigeria’s funds in foreign banks, expressed his disagreement with the report titled ‘Re: Emefiele, others stole billions, illegally kept Nigeria’s funds in foreign banks’ in a statement released on Sunday.
According to the Special Investigator, Jim Obaze, Emefiele lodged £543,482,213 in fixed deposits in UK banks alone without proper authorization.
The report detailed, “The former governor of CBN, Godwin Emefiele, invested Nigeria’s money without authorization in 593 foreign bank accounts in the United States, China, and the United Kingdom.”
Emefiele, who has recently been released on bail from the Kuje correctional center, countered the allegations, labeling them as “false, misleading, and calculated to disparage my person.” He accused Obazee of pursuing a “satanic agenda” to serve his selfish interests.
In his statement, Emefiele mentioned that due to his legal situation, he had been advised not to comment extensively on the ongoing matters submitted to the court. However, he felt compelled to address certain issues raised in the publication.
Refuting claims of unauthorized naira redesign, Emefiele asserted, “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.”
Regarding the alleged withdrawal of $6.23 million from the CBN vault based on a false presidential directive, Emefiele challenged Obazee to publish the documents and statements he made during questioning, maintaining that he had no prior knowledge of such a directive.
On the matter of 593 accounts opened globally, Emefiele distanced himself, stating, “I am not involved in the opening of these accounts, and I do not know about their openings.”
He emphasized that the relevant CBN departments have the authority to conduct such activities within their lawful mandate.
Emefiele concluded by affirming his commitment to a thorough and transparent investigation, instructing his lawyers to commence legal proceedings to clear his name from the “defamatory statements” in the report and subsequent publications.
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