Reported claims that I stole billions, illegally kept Nigeria’s funds in foreign banks false, misleading, Emefiele defends self

*Says private investigator appointed by President Tinubu lied against him

By KEMI KASUMU

“Moreover, the former President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR has stated on a number of occasions that he authorised and approved the naira redesign. I am therefore at a loss as to why Mr Jim Obazee will mislead Nigerians that there was no presidential approval.”

Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, has dismissed allegations made against him by the special investigator appointed by President Bola Tinubu to investigate him.

Emefiele, who was released from Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja on Saturday, described the allegations as “false, misleading and calculated to disparage my person, injure my character and to serve the selfish interest of the private investigator.”

He insisted that President Muhammadu Buhari approved the Naira redesign programmehe implemented, adding that he knew nothing about the alleged looting of $6.3 million from the vault of the Abuja station of the Central Bank and that he was not involved in the opening of the alleged 593 different deposit accounts in foreign banks.

In a two-page statement he issued and titled, “Re: EMEFIELE, OTHERS STOLE BILLIONS, ILLEGALLY KEPT NIGERIA’S FUNDS IN FOREIGN BANKS”, the former governor of the apex bank, said, “after my release on bail from Kuje, my attention was drawn to publications released by newspapers and online platforms (The DEFENDER excluded). The sources of the information published by the media houses were credited to a certain report prepared by a Jim Obazee, who was appointed by the president as a private investigator.

“I have gone through the publications, and I say boldly that the contents of the said publications are false, misleading, and calculated to disparage my person, injure my character and to serve the selfish interest of the private investigator.

“Because of my present situation I have been advised by my lawyers not to say anything in respect of the matters which have been submitted to the court for adjudication.

“However, I need to address some of the issues raised in the publication which are barefaced lies told by the investigator in order to achieve his satanic agenda.

“Firstly, it was reported that contrary to the provision of the CBN act there was no presidential approval for the Naira redesign, I wish to state unequivocally that there was indeed a presidential approval, and the said approval was handed over to the same Jim Obaze during the process of his investigation in the presence of senior officials and his own investigative team.

“Moreover, the former President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR has stated on a number of occasions that he authorised and approved the naira redesign. I am therefore at a loss as to why Mr Jim Obazee will mislead Nigerians that there was no presidential approval.

“The report claimed also that the sum of 6.23 million dollars was withdrawn from the CBN vault based on a false presidential directive bearing the signature of the former president Muhammadu Buhari GCFR and that of the former secretary to the government of the federation, SGF Mr Boss Mustapha. About two weeks ago, Jim Obazee in company of a certain deputy commissioner of police from force CID came to Kuje to ask me questions in respect of the said document in the present of my lawyers.

“I stated verbally and in writing that I have no knowledge of such directive from the former president and the former SGF. In fact, I told them that that was the first time I would be seeing the documents. On this I challenge Jim Obaze to publish the said documents and also the statements that I made them.

“The final issue that I will like to respond to is the issue of 593 accounts which were purportedly opened in different parts of the world. I state categorically that I am not involved in the opening of these accounts and do not have knowledge of their openings. The fixed deposits in those foreign accounts are definitely outside my knowledge.”

Emefiele spoke just as Tinubu administration and those involved in the allegations of the reported magnitude were asked to take him to court, if they have any such discovery about him, and not to activate media trial against him.