Just In: Buhari’s signature was forged to withdraw $6.2b from CBN for payment of election observers — ex-SGF, Boss Mustapha

Boss Mustapha, former secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), says neither he nor ex-President Muhammadu Buhari gave any approval for the disbursement of $6,230,000 to international election observers, TheCableNG is reporting.

Mustapha spoke on Tuesday while testifying as the second prosecution witness in the trial of Godwin Emefiele, former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Emefiele is standing trial on a 20-count amended criminal charges preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The amended charges border on alleged criminal breach of trust, forgery, conspiracy to commit forgery, procurement fraud and conspiracy to commit a felony. He was accused of impersonating the SGF to illegally obtain a sum of $6.2m.

In some of the counts, the EFCC alleged that Emefiele, in January 2023, forged a document titled: “RE: PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE ON FOREIGN ELECTION OBSERVER MISSIONS,” dated 26 January 2023 with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/201.
The EFCC said Emefiele made the claim despite knowing it to be false and committed an offence contrary to section 1(1) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act.

According to the amended charge marked CR/577/2023, Emefiele, on February 8, 2023, connived with one Odoh Ocheme, who is now on the run, to obtain $6.2 million from the CBN, claiming that the SGF requested it “vide a letter dated 26th January 2023 with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/201″.

However, led in evidence by Rotimi Oyedepo, Mustapha said he knew nothing about the transaction even after he left office in May 2023. He said he only got to find out in December 2023 after the press published the news. [Swipe]