In a startling revelation, Jim Obaze, the Special Investigator appointed by President Bola Tinubu, has exposed former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele for allegedly illicitly opening 593 bank accounts in the United States, United Kingdom, and China. Obaze claims that Emefiele executed these transactions without the necessary approval from the CBN’s Board of Directors and Investment Committee.
According to Obaze’s final report, titled ‘Report of the Special Investigation on CBN and Related Entities (Chargeable Offences),’ submitted to Tinubu, Emefiele deposited billions of naira, including £543,482,213 in fixed deposits in UK banks alone, without proper authorization.
The report states, ‘The former governor of the CBN invested Nigeria’s money without authorization in 593 foreign accounts in the United States, China, and the United Kingdom while he was in charge. All the accounts where the billions were lodged have all been traced by the investigator. In the UK alone, Emefiele kept £543,482,213 in fixed deposits without authorization by the CBN board and the Investment Committee of the bank.’
Emefiele, who is currently incarcerated in Kuje prison, was previously arraigned by the Nigerian Government on charges of alleged N1.2 billion procurement fraud. While the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, granted him bail in the sum of N300 million, he has reportedly failed to secure his release by not fulfilling the bail conditions.”