CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele;Image: Channelstv.
A Nigerian group known as the Concerned Citizens Of Conscience (CCC), has written to the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) asking the organization to immediately arrest and extradite the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele to face prosecution for committing "infractions that put the country's economy under severe strain," among other allegations.
In the letter signed by the CCC President, Samuel O. Ojonugwa addressed to the Head of Interpol via the Nigerian Police Force, and dated 23rd December 2022, the group claimed that Emefiele is currently hiding in the United States of America (USA) "in his bid to abscond from facing the wrath of the law."
The letter is also copied to the Department of State Services (DSS) Director General, Inspector General of Police, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), US Ambassador to Nigeria, British High Commissioner, Canadian Ambassador, and European Union Commission.
The letter was entitled, "A Passionate plea for the immediate arrest of Mr. Godwin Emefiele" and 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. Godwin 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 maneuvered 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 buses, 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 nairas 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 without further delay.
Godwin Emefiele.
"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 traveled 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 offenses 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 favorable response, please accept the assurances of our highest regards.”
According to SaharaReporters 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) are all investigating Emefiele, the President of African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), Prof. Benedict Oramah, a northern businessman, Aminu Yaro, and one Farouk Gumel over a $300million given by the pan-African multilateral financial institution to Titan Trust Bank Limited to acquire 93.4 percent stake in the Union Bank of Nigeria Plc.
Recently, the secretary of the dissolved Presidential Committee on Reconciliation and Recovery of Stamp Duties Revenue, Kazaure Gudaji also alleged that N89 trillion realized from stamp duties was misappropriated and diverted by Emefiele.
Arrest on sight order.
Meanwhile, the latest report by SaharaReporters said that the CBN Governor returned on Wednesday and is currently in Abuja. A source told the news outlet, “Emefiele is in Abuja. He arrived (from the US) on Wednesday.”
DSS operatives are reportedly watching out for the CBN governor following an order to arrest him on sight, according to SaharaReporters.
Two DSS officials familiar with Emefiele’s case confirmed that the domestic intelligence office of the DSS deployed officers to monitor the Headquarters of the CBN, Emefiele’s family residence in Lagos and the Abuja home of Christopher Emefiele, a businessman not related by blood to the CBN Governor, People's Gazette reports.
There were strong indications on Thursday that Emefiele was under intense pressure from some of the country‘s power brokers to resign.
A source close to the CBN governor also told SaharaReporters that Emefiele was living in fear of a probable arrest by the DSS which recently accused him of aiding and abetting terrorism.
The DSS alleged that its preliminary investigations revealed that the CBN Governor was involved in funding international and local terrorism, fraudulent activities, and economic crimes.
However, an application by the DSS to arrest Emefiele was declined by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Emefiele was part of President Muhammadu Buhari’s entourage to the US-Africa Leaders’ Summit in Washington DC held between December 13 and 15.
Politics and Opinion.
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