The group in a letter dated 23rd December, 2022, requested Interpol to arrest and extradite Emefiele who is currently hiding in the United States of America (USA) “in his bid to abscond from facing the wrath of the law”, back to Nigeria to face prosecution.
A group, Concerned Citizens Of Conscience (CCC), has written International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) demanding the immediate arrest of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.
The group in a letter dated 23rd December, 2022, requested Interpol to arrest and extradite Emefiele who is currently hiding in the United States of America (USA) “in his bid to abscond from facing the wrath of the law”, back to Nigeria to face prosecution.
Copied in the letter are the Director-General of Department of State Services (DSS), Inspector-General of Police, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), US Ambassador to Nigeria, British High Commissioner, Canadian Ambassador and the European Union Commission, Abuja.
SaharaReporters had exclusively reported how the CBN boss refused to return to Nigeria amid allegations of terrorism financing and possible arrest and attention by the secret police
The secret police, the Department of State Services had applied to a Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking a warrant of arrest for Emefiele.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that the court declined the application to arrest and detain the governor of the apex bank, but said it could go ahead and arrest Emefiele if the DSS felt compelled to do so based on its evidence against him.
The DSS had accused him of allegedly aiding and abetting acts of terrorism. The security agency said the CBN governor is involved in the financing of terrorism.
It said preliminary investigation revealed various acts of terrorism financing, fraudulent activities perpetrated by Emefiele and his involvement in economic crimes of national security dimension.
SaharaReporters earlier on Thursday also reported that officials of the EFCC grilled top directors of the Central Bank over their roles in the N2 billion loan given to the National President of the National Cotton Association of Nigeria (NACOTAN), Anibe Achimugu.
According to a top official of the anti-graft agency, the apex bank directors denied knowing when the CBN governor approved the loan for Achimugu, adding that it wasn’t discussed during any of their meetings.
The approval of such a loan was also tagged as illegal.
Concerned Citizens Of Conscience in the letter signed by its President, Samuel O. Ojonugwa, and addressed to the Head of InterPol via the Nigerian Police Force, alleged that the CBN governor has committed infractions that put the country’s economy under severe strain.
It also alleged that Emefiele has been covertly funding the activities of terrorist groups in the country through round tripping of the forex regime in the country.
The group noted that Emefiele was “nothing but a politician” who not only sponsored the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) campaigns for the 2015 General Elections but also expended billions from the CBN’s vaults to pursue his selfish presidential ambition in 2022.
It further noted that the CBN governor coughed out a whopping N100million and purchased the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Expression form of interest at a time when the country is facing severe inflation and economic meltdown due to his ineptness.
Quoting SaharaReporters, the group listed other corruption charges against Emefiele including diverting 89 trillion naira in stamp duty fraud, granting of loans without following the due process of loan grants by the CBN, and the fraudulent naira redesign policy.
The letter read, “With deep concern for Nigeria, we write to you demanding the immediate arrest of Mr Godwin Emefiele, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Mr Godwin Emefiele, as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, has committed infractions that put the country’s economy under severe strain. We also have it on good authority that Mr Godwi Emefiele has been covertly funding the activities of terrorist groups in the country through round tripping of the forex regime in the country.
“You may wish to recall that on 21st March 2016, barely two years in office, Mr Godwin Emefiele was asked to resign his appointment within 14 days by a group named “The Save Nigeria Anti-Corruption Initiative.” The group’s reason was based on his incompetence as they called on him to resign and save the Nigerian economy from collapse. The group noted that the CBN governor was nothing but a politician. They firmly stated that Emefiele joined in sponsoring PDP campaigns for the 2015 General Elections. As a result, the group called for his immediate resignation based on his incompetence, corruption and partisanship. However, due to his corrupt nature, he manoeuvred his way as he refused to resign from his appointment.
“Recall that in 2017, it was published by Premium Times about how the CBN Governor was secretly and illegally operating secret companies in tax havens. By this, Mr Godwin Emefiele as CBN governor, violated the laws governing the dictates of his office as the head of such a sensitive institution as CBN. While Premium Times indicted Emefiele as far back as 2017, we do not understand why Mr Godwin Emefiele was neither relieved of his duty nor arrested and prosecuted by the requisite legal and security agencies as he failed to resign on personal grounds.
“Under Emefiele’s watch, the naira has constantly lost value, further running the Nigerian economy aground. It is worrisome why a supposed economic expert cannot deliver on the dictates and responsibilities of his office, upon which the survival of the Nigerian state largely depends. Mr Godwin Emefiele took his political interest and ambition to another level when his presidential campaign posters filtered every nook and cranny of Abuja earlier this year (2022). In his usual corrupt nature, Mr Godwin Emefiele denied his presidential bid when concerns were raised. After his denial, the CBN Governor approached an Abuja High Court to be allowed to contest the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary election while retaining his appointment.
“At a time when the country is facing severe inflation and economic meltdown, Mr Godwin Emefiele, who has been unable to manage the Nigerian economy and not stabilize the naira to be in relative competition with other leading currencies of the world, coughed out a whopping 100 million naira and purchased the APC Presidential Expression form of interest.
“This was in addition to existing customized coaster busses, SUVs and other exotic cars he had purchased and distributed for his presidential ambition. Had the court not stopped him, Mr Emefiele probably would have been APC’s presidential candidate while still serving as CBN Governor. With this, what further proof does anyone need to know that Mr Godwin Emefiele is a politician?
“Other corruption charges against Mr Godwin Emefiele include diverting 89 trillion naira in stamp duty fraud. The CBN Governor is the chief conspirator. We need to understand why the man supposed to be responsible for fixing the Nigerian economy was instead ruining the economy. This is Nigeria’s biggest financial scam and should not be swept under the carpet. Mr Godwin Emefiele is an economic terrorist, a scammer and a fraudster. He has milked Nigeria dry and has committed many crimes against the Nigerian state. We, therefore, call for his immediate arrest and prosecution with further delay.
“In another instance, the naira redesign by the CBN Governor is another scam and financial looting against the Nigerian state. While the intention is good, the process is fraudulent. Hence, the money budgeted for redesigning the naira is way above the expected gains from the exercise. The bulk of the money ended up in the coffers of Mr Godwin Emefiele and his cohorts. Following all of the above, it is unarguable that Mr Godwin Emefiele is nothing but a criminal who was determined to ensure the collapse of the Nigerian economy and supervise Nigeria’s looting to last.
“Mr Godwin Emefiele has also single-handedly approved and supervised the grant of loans to many of his cohorts without following the due process of loan grants by the CBN. These loan grants, as granted by this impostor, Mr Emefiele, were part of the strategy of diverting Nigeria’s funds while many sectors of the economy suffered low funding.
“On this note, we, Concerned Citizens of Conscience, write to demand the immediate arrest and prosecution of Mr Godwin Emefiele, who, while a fugitive in the United States of America, is purportedly acting as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria. Sir, on several occasions, Nigerians have called for his resignation, and on several occasions, he has ignored this call by patriotic Nigerians who want the best for our country. He ceased being CBN Governor on 21st March 2016; he was asked to resign on verifiable cases of corruption, partisan politics and incompetence.
“You will agree with us that a politician is not supposed to, in any capacity, occupy such a sensitive office. By his actions and crimes, he has broken the laws of Nigeria governing the office he was appointed into. He has on several occasions refused appearance before the Audit Probation of the National Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee, which has also indicted him for financial crimes and inappropriate accounts reports. Based on Section 89 (d), among other sections of the Nigerian 1999 Constitution as amended.
“Sir, it might interest you to know that Nigeria’s secret police, the Department of State Security, has applied to an Abuja Federal High Court to be issued a warrant for the arrest of Mr Godwin Emefiele over his involvement in financial terrorism against Nigeria. Aware of his actions and crimes against the Nigerian state, Mr Godwin Emefiele has travelled to hide in the United States of America (USA) in his bid to abscond from facing the wrath of the law. But with your good office, there shall be no hiding place for him as we believe in your capacity to arrest and extradite him to come and answer for his offences and as well, pay the supreme price of his crimes and for engaging in partisan politics while serving as CBN Governor, for looting and supervising the looting of Nigeria and for running the Nigerian economy aground among other crimes he has committed against the Nigerian state.
“We have confidence in the capacity of your office to arrest and extradite Mr Godwin Emefiele to answer for his crimes. While we anticipate a favourable response, please accept the assurances of our highest regards.”
SaharaReporters had exclusively reported that Emefiele; the President of African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), Prof. Benedict Oramah; among others were under investigation over the $300million the pan-African multilateral financial institution gave to Titan Trust Bank Limited to acquire 93.4 per cent stake in the Union Bank of Nigeria Plc.
Others being investigated are; Aminu Yaro, a Northern business mogul and one Farouk Gumel.
Sources had told SaharaReporters that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the DSS, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) were all investigating Oramah, Emefiele and others.
In contravention of the CBN act, Emefiele early in the year joined the ruling All Progressives Congress.
The action was against Section 9 of the CBN Act, 2007, which stated: “The Governor and the Deputy Governors shall devote the whole of their time to the service of the bank and while holding office shall not engage in any full or part-time employment or vocation whether remunerated or not except such personal or charitable causes as may be determined by the Board and which do not conflict with or detract from their full-time duties.”
According to the chairman of Ward 6 in the Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State, Nduka Erikpume, the CBN governor had registered as an APC member.
When asked whether Emefiele registered in the APC, Erikpume said, “Yes, he has registered since February 2021. He is our member.”
Amid widespread condemnations, the CBN governor headed to a Federal High Court in Abuja to seek a constitutional interpretation of his non-resignation while pursuing his political interests.
Recently, the secretary of the dissolved Presidential Committee on Reconciliation and Recovery of Stamp Duties Revenue, Kazaure Gudaji narrated how N89 trillion from stamp duties was misappropriated and diverted by Emefiele.
(Premium Times)
