Emefiele Trial: Witness Tells Court $6.23m CBN Election Observer Fund Was ‘Pure Theft’

The trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, took a dramatic turn on Thursday as a prosecution witness told the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja that the controversial release of $6.23 million for a purported foreign election observer mission was fraudulent and amounted to “pure theft.”

The allegation was made by the 14th prosecution witness, Commissioner of Police Okpoziakpo Eloho of the Nigeria Police Force Fraud Unit, during proceedings before Justice Hamza Muazu in the ongoing case filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against the former CBN governor.

According to the EFCC, the witness testified that the entire $6.23 million was released based on Emefiele’s approval without sufficient documentation to justify the expenditure.

“The entire money was released. We saw the approval of the governor,” Eloho told the court.

He further alleged that investigators found no legitimate basis for the transaction.

“It was pure theft. It was stolen, otherwise obtained under false pretence,” the police commissioner testified.

While identifying Exhibit PD5, which purportedly contained a presidential directive authorising a foreign election observer mission, the witness insisted that investigators concluded the document was fraudulent.

“Our finding with regards to PD5 is that it is all fraud,” he said.

The prosecution witness also disclosed that investigators recovered part of the allegedly diverted funds.

Although he could not recall the exact amount, Eloho said approximately $800,000 had been recovered during the course of the investigation.

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“I can’t remember the figure but it was about Eight Hundred Thousand United States Dollars,” he told the court.

During cross-examination by defence counsel, Matthew Burkaa (SAN), the witness acknowledged that Emefiele, as the CBN governor at the time, had authority over the bank’s funds.

However, he maintained that the disbursement did not comply with the Central Bank’s established approval procedures.

According to Eloho, the approval moved directly from the governor to the Director of Banking Services without following the normal administrative chain through a deputy governor.

“This document is from the governor to the Director Banking Services. Protocol was not followed. I presume that the procedure would have been for the document to follow through the deputy governor,” he testified.

The witness also identified Jibril Abubakar as the individual who allegedly received the $6.23 million.

Presenting Exhibit PD4, Eloho told the court that although Abubakar presented a staff identity card linked to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), investigators established that the identification number did not belong to him.

“The staff ID card number does not belong to him. He is not a staff of the SGF. That is what the investigation revealed,” the witness said.

Eloho further informed the court that investigators interviewed former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, during the investigation.

According to him, although one of the documents tendered by the prosecution purportedly originated from the SGF’s office, Mustapha denied that the signature appearing on the document belonged to him.

The EFCC alleges that the $6.23 million was released in February 2023 for the payment of foreign election observers ahead of Nigeria’s 2023 general election based on forged presidential approval.

The anti-graft agency is prosecuting Emefiele on charges bordering on criminal breach of trust, forgery, conspiracy, and obtaining by false pretence, arguing that the election observer mission never existed and that the documents used to obtain the funds were fabricated.

Emefiele has pleaded not guilty to all the charges and continues to deny any wrongdoing.

The former CBN governor is also facing separate criminal cases before the Federal High Court and the FCT High Court involving allegations of procurement fraud, abuse of office, unlawful possession of firearms and corruption. He has equally denied those allegations.

Following Thursday’s proceedings, Justice Hamza Muazu adjourned the matter until Friday, July 3, 2026, for the continuation of the trial.

The case remains one of Nigeria’s most closely watched corruption trials, with the prosecution seeking to establish that the controversial $6.23 million CBN disbursement was fraudulently authorised, while the defence maintains that Emefiele acted within the powers vested in him as governor of the apex bank.

Emefiele Trial: Witness Tells Court $6.23m CBN Election Observer Fund Was ‘Pure Theft’

Tinubu Lightens Mood, Calls First Lady ‘Iya Alakara’ After Viral Akara Debate

ABUJA – President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday humorously referred to the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, as “Iya Alakara” during a dinner with members of the Presidential Press Corps at the State House, Abuja, drawing laughter from guests in what appeared to be a light-hearted response to the recent public debate over her comments on petty trading.

A video shared by Aso Rock TV showed the President smiling as he acknowledged dignitaries before introducing his wife with the playful nickname.

“Good evening, gentlemen of the press, ladies and gentlemen, my dear wife, the First Lady, Iya Alakara,” Tinubu said, prompting laughter and applause from the audience.

The President’s remark comes weeks after the First Lady’s comments during the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) economic empowerment programme sparked widespread reactions across Nigeria.

While speaking at one of the initiative’s empowerment events, Senator Oluremi Tinubu encouraged women to consider starting small-scale businesses such as selling akara (bean cakes), roasted corn (boole), kuli-kuli, tomatoes, peppers and vegetables, noting that many of the businesses require relatively modest start-up capital.

Her comments were intended to encourage entrepreneurship among low-income earners and women seeking financial independence. However, excerpts of the speech circulated widely on social media, with some Nigerians criticising the remarks as being disconnected from the country’s current economic realities.

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Critics argued that encouraging citizens to venture into petty trading did not adequately address the challenges posed by rising inflation, unemployment, high food prices and declining purchasing power.

The remarks quickly became one of the most discussed political topics on social media, with many users creating memes and satirical content around the phrase “akara business.”

In response to the criticism, the First Lady recently clarified that her comments had been taken out of context and that the Renewed Hope Initiative supports a wide range of small businesses rather than focusing solely on akara sellers.

Speaking during the inauguration of the newly constructed Abubakar Maje Haruna Hall at the Emir of Hadejia’s Palace in Jigawa State, Oluremi Tinubu explained that the Federal Government had provided ₦100 million through the state’s First Lady to empower 2,000 petty traders across different sectors.

“Because of the atmosphere, what is going on, I’ve told Her Excellency that we’ve already donated about ₦100 million to empower 2,000 petty traders,” she said.

Addressing the controversy directly, she added:

“I know they’ve been talking that I said akara. It’s not only akara. We also have tomato sellers. We have boole, and those selling pepper and vegetables in the market.”

According to the First Lady, the programme is designed to strengthen micro and small enterprises by providing financial support to market traders and other informal business owners.

“We will continue to empower them and add to their resources so that their trade can really be sustainable. That is what we are doing,” she said.

The Renewed Hope Initiative, launched by the First Lady shortly after the inauguration of the Tinubu administration, focuses on women and youth empowerment, healthcare, education, agriculture and economic inclusion. The programme has implemented similar empowerment schemes in several states, distributing grants, business equipment and financial support to thousands of beneficiaries.

Government officials say the initiative complements broader federal efforts to expand financial inclusion and support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are widely regarded as key drivers of employment and economic growth in Nigeria.

Political observers interpreted President Tinubu’s humorous reference to his wife as an attempt to ease tensions surrounding the controversy while acknowledging the extensive public attention the remarks had attracted.

The light-hearted moment has since generated fresh reactions online, with many Nigerians sharing clips of the event and debating both the President’s joke and the broader conversation about grassroots economic empowerment in the country.

Tinubu Lightens Mood, Calls First Lady ‘Iya Alakara’ After Viral Akara Debate

Adeyemi Insists Gbajabiamila Approved His Appointment as Court Case Begins

Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi, who is facing charges of alleged impersonation, forgery and related offences, has denied any wrongdoing, insisting that Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, was aware of his appointment as Director-General of the now-defunct Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).

Adeyemi made the claims during a telephone interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, maintaining that he acted lawfully throughout his time in office and expressing confidence that the court would eventually clear his name.

His comments come days after Nigerian authorities filed charges against him over allegations that he falsely presented himself as the Director-General of the PFIPC and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC)—two entities the Presidency has said were never legally established as federal government agencies.

When asked whether he was evading law enforcement, Adeyemi dismissed the suggestion, saying he was prepared to defend himself before the court.

“Not at all,” he said.

He stressed that the matter was already before a competent court and urged the public to allow the judicial process to determine the facts.

“Definitely, if I am wrong, let the court of law do that; if I am right, let the court of law do the right thing. Since the matter is in court, let the court of competent jurisdiction vindicate me because I am ready to clear my name.”

Adeyemi also disclosed that he possesses what he described as a valid letter of appointment, although he declined to provide details because of the ongoing legal proceedings.

“I have a letter of appointment. However, since the matter is in court, I won’t be able to say much about it. I am on medication. I am a bit down; I am sick.”

Responding to questions about whether he considered himself a criminal, Adeyemi rejected the allegation outright.

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“No, I am not a criminal. The court will be fair to that.”

Asked directly whether Femi Gbajabiamila was aware of his appointment, Adeyemi answered in the affirmative.

When further questioned about whether he had confirmation from the Chief of Staff’s office, he replied:

“Yes. Let the court vindicate all those things.”

Adeyemi argued that it would have been impossible for him to publicly represent the agency for nearly three years without official knowledge or approval.

“For one second, let us assume the agency does not exist. Would I have the temerity, the audacity, to be going all over the country, meeting heads of ministries, departments and agencies if I knew the agency did not exist or that I fabricated everything?

“No Nigerian can dare do that. I could not have summoned the courage to be going from one place to another for almost three years. Nigeria is not a banana republic.”

The case stems from allegations that Adeyemi unlawfully held himself out as the head of the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council, using the titles in engagements with government institutions and other organisations.

The Presidency has consistently maintained that neither the PFIPC nor the PEAC exists as a legally recognised federal government agency. Officials have also distanced the Presidency from any appointment letters or authorisations allegedly issued in connection with the organisations.

The Office of the Chief of Staff has previously denied authorising Adeyemi to represent the Presidency or act on behalf of any federal agency, a position that forms part of the issues expected to be examined during the court proceedings.

Legal analysts say the trial is likely to focus on the authenticity of the appointment documents presented by Adeyemi, the legal status of the agencies involved and whether any government officials had knowledge of or participated in the alleged appointments.

The case has attracted significant public attention because it raises broader questions about the verification of government appointments, institutional accountability and safeguards against the misuse of official identities.

With the matter now before the court, both the prosecution and the defence are expected to present documentary evidence and witness testimony as the judiciary determines the merits of the allegations.

Adeyemi Insists Gbajabiamila Approved His Appointment as Court Case Begins