NIGERIAN - Nigeria is seeking Interpol's assistance in apprehending three individuals suspected of embezzling $6.2 million from the country's central bank, allegedly through the fraudulent use of then-President Muhammadu Buhari's signature.
The authorities suspect collusion between the suspects and former central bank chief Godwin Emefiele, who is currently facing trial on 20 charges, including the illicit receipt of the stolen funds. Emefiele has adamantly denied all charges and is currently out on bail.
This case marks one of the highest-profile corruption scandals since President Bola Tinubu assumed office last May.
In addition to Emefiele, prosecutors allege that other accomplices, Adamu Abubakar, Imam Abubakar, and Odoh Ocheme, a former central bank employee, were involved in the scheme. The suspects are believed to have fled Nigeria, prompting authorities to seek Interpol's assistance in locating and extraditing them.
The urgency in pursuing the suspects intensified after Boss Mustapha, a senior official in former President Buhari's administration, testified in Emefiele's trial. Mustapha informed the court in Abuja that neither he nor Buhari had authorized the withdrawal of the $6.2 million, casting doubt on the legitimacy of the transaction.
The funds, withdrawn in cash shortly before the end of Buhari's term, were purportedly intended for payment to foreign election observers. However, prosecutors allege that Emefiele falsified the documents to orchestrate the illegal withdrawal.
Emefiele, who was appointed as central bank governor in 2014 and reappointed in 2019, held the position until President Tinubu took office. The case has sparked public outrage and calls for accountability amidst ongoing efforts to combat corruption within Nigeria's government institutions.
