The special investigator appointed by President Bola Tinubu has asked the international criminal police organisation (Interpol) to place three suspects on its watchlist over an alleged fraud of $6,230,000.
The suspects are Adamu Abubakar, Imam Abubakar, and Odoh
Eric Ocheme.
The federal government had filed extradition charges against
the trio for allegedly forging the signature of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari
and documents purportedly written by Boss Mustapha, the former secretary to the
government of the federation (SGF), to induce the payment of $6,230,000 from
the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The fund was purportedly meant for foreign election
observers.
“That Adamu Abubakar
(now at large), Imam Abubakar (now at large), Odoh Eric Ocheme (now at large),
Bashirudeen Maishanu and others also now at large, on or about the 23 day of
January, 2023, at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, within the jurisdiction
of the Federal High Court, forged the following documents: (1) The Presidency,
Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Identity Card in
the name of Jibril Abubakar; (ii) Letter dated 23 January, 2023 purportedly
written by Muhammad Buhari to the Mr. Boss Mustapha; (iii) Letter dated 26
January, 2023 purportedly written by Boss Mustapha to Mr. Godwin Emefiele; (iv)
Central Bank of Nigeria Internal Memo dated 31 January, 2023 purportedly
written by the Director, Banking Services Department to the Governor, and (v)
Central Bank of Nigeria Internal Memo dated 7th February, 2023 purportedly
written by the Director, Banking Services Department to the Branch Controller,
Abuja, Branch, with the intent that the Central Bank of Nigeria, Abuja Branch
may in the believe that the documents are genuine be induced to pay you the sum
of six million, two hundred and thirty thousand United States Dollars
($6,230,000.00) and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section
1(2)[c] of the Miscellaneous offences Act, Cap. M17 Laws of the Federation of
Nigeria, 2010,” the part of the charge sheet reads.
Godwin Emefiele, the former governor of CBN, is also
indicted in the alleged fraudulent payment of $6,230,000
Earlier on Tuesday, Mustapha said neither he nor
ex-President Muhammadu Buhari gave any approval for the disbursement of
$6,230,000 to international election observers.
Mustapha testified as the second prosecution witness in the
trial of Emefiele.
LETTER TO INTERPOL
In a letter dated February 12, 2024, the special investigator asked Interpol to
place the three suspects on red notice.
The letter, signed by Eloho Okpoziakpo, the head of
operations, office of the special investigator, was addressed to the assistant
inspector-general of police, national central bureau (NCB) and Interpol.
“In the course of the
Special Investigator’s assignment, Mr. Odoh Eric Ocheme, (a staff of the CBN)
now at large and the other two accomplices, also now at large, were discovered
to have conspired and forged documents in the name of the President, Federal
Republic of Nigeria with which they stole about US$6,230,000 (Six Million, Two
Hundred and Thirty Thousand Dollars, in cash, from the coffers of the CBN,” the
letter reads.
On January 18, 2024, Inyang Ekwo, a judge at a federal high
court in Abuja, issued a warrant of arrest against the three suspects.
Ekwo issued the order following a motion moved by Celestine
Odo, the counsel of the federal government.
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