The Federal Government has asked the International Police (Interpol) to place three Nigerians on its watch list over alleged forgery and withdrawal of $6.2 million in cash from the Central Bank of Nigeria under the embattled governor, Godwin Emefiele.
It was gathered that the suspects—a staff member of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Odoh Ocheme, and two other persons—were declared wanted for allegedly forging the signature of former President Muhammadu Buhari to steal $6.2 million in cash from the bank.
Ocheme was accused of plotting and forging documents in Buhari’s name to steal $6,230,000 from the CBN coffers, along with Adamu and Imam Abubakar.
The request contained in a letter with reference number CR:3000/TSI/ABJ/VOL.1/85 and dated February 12, 2024, was addressed to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police and signed by DCP Eloho Okpoziakpo, Head of Operations, Office of the Special Investigator.
The data page of Ocheme’s Nigerian International Passport No. B50082800, duly certified true copies of the warrants, and the Order of the Court to that effect were attached to the letter.
“Consequent upon the above, a charge was filed and warrants of arrest have been issued by the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Abuja Division, presided over by Hon. Justice I.E. Ekwo in Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/19/2024 B/w: Federal Republic of Nigeria v. Adamu Abubakar & 2 Ors. for the arrest and production of the defendants named above for their arraignment.
“The Special Investigator therefore prays that you use your good offices to request that the defendants be placed on INTERPOL RED NOTICE with a view to apprehending and repatriating them from any of the INTERPOL member states to which they may have flown.
“While counting on your timely cooperation in this regard, kindly accept the esteemed regards of the Special Investigator,” the letter read.
Persecondnews recalls that the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Boss Mustapha, during the trial of the ex-CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, on Tuesday, told the Federal Capital Territory High Court that former president Muhammadu Buhari did approve $6.3 million as payment for election observers.
Mustapha, who appeared as a second prosecution witness against Emefiele, who is facing a 20-count charge bordering on alleged corrupt practices and forgery, revealed that the proposed payment documents and Buhari’s signature were forged.
When shown the approval document from the office of the president, Mustapha said: “On the face value of the document, I can say that having served five years and seven months, this document did not emanate from the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“The Federal Executive Council (FEC) decisions are not transmitted by letter. They are transmitted through extracts after conclusions are adopted.
“I am the custodian of the records of the FEC. For that reason, the president cannot refer any executive conclusion to me.
“All the years I have served, I have never heard of the term special appropriation provision. The two terms known to me are appropriation, as provided for by the Appropriation Act passed by the National Assembly.
“The second is that when the government finds a gap, it brings a supplementary appropriation.
“In all the correspondences I have received from Buhari, it has never had ‘please accept the assurance of my highest regard’. I am his subordinate.
“The signature is a failed attempt at reproducing President Muhammadu Buhari’s signature. But I will leave that to the experts.”
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