- Emefiele allocated foreign exchange amounting to $291,945,785.59 without bids, further prejudicing Nigerians’ rights
On Monday, April 8, 2024, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will arraign the former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele, at the Ikeja State High Court in Lagos for alleged abuse of office related to the allocation of billions of United States dollars.
Emefiele and his co-defendant, Henry Isioma Omole, will face a 26-count charge before Justice Rahman Oshodi, filed by Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) on April 3, 2024 (marked ID/23787c/2024).
The EFCC accuses Emefiele of abusing his authority between 2022 and 2023 in Lagos, alleging that he allocated foreign exchange totaling $2,136,391,737.33 without bids, which prejudiced the rights of Nigerians.
Additionally, the commission alleges that between 2020 and 2021, Emefiele allocated foreign exchange amounting to $291,945,785.59 without bids, further prejudicing Nigerians’ rights.
Emefiele was alleged to have, in 2021, in Lagos, “directed to be done in abuse of the authority of your office, as the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, an arbitrary act, to wit: special allocation of foreign exchange in the aggregate sum of $1,769,254,793.16, which act is prejudicial to the rights of Nigerians.”
In count four, the sum involved was $370,872,893.01.
Emefiele’s co-defendant Omoile was alleged to have November 17, 2020, in Lagos, whilst acting as an agent accepted from Raja Punjab through Monday Osazuwa, the total sum of $110,000, for Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, gifts as a reward for allocating foreign exchange by the Central Bank in favor of Raja Punjab’s employer.”
According to the charge, the offences committed contravened Section 73 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.