NEWS
Emefiele Approved Contracts, Payments To Wife, Brother-in-law – Witness Testifies
Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele faced damning allegations in court on Monday as a prosecution witness accused him of awarding lucrative contracts to companies owned by his wife and a brother-in-law.
This testimony was given during Mr. Emefiele’s trial at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama, Abuja.
Responding to questions from the defence team, Mr. Agboro, the seventh prosecution witness (PW7), provided details in the ongoing case where Mr. Emefiele faces charges including corruption, conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, forgery, and obtaining approximately $6.23 million under false pretences.
His trials in Abuja and Lagos follow his removal from office by President Bola Tinubu last June.
During the proceedings on Monday, Michael Agboro, an investigator with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), testified under the guidance of Rotimi Oyedepo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) prosecuting for the EFCC.
Agboro had initially stated in March that former CBN governor Godwin Emefiele awarded 45 contracts, totaling billions of naira, to family members and associates, including his wife Margaret Emefiele.
The witness detailed that April 1616 Investment Limited, owned by Sa’adatu Ramalan Yero, a CBN employee and an associate of Mr. Emefiele, was one of the companies benefiting from these contracts.
According to Agboro, a collaborative investigation involving the ICPC, EFCC, Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), and the State Security Service (SSS) revealed that these contracts were allegedly awarded to confer corrupt advantages upon the recipients.
During cross-examination, prosecution witness Michael Agboro reaffirmed his earlier claims despite questioning from Godwin Emefiele’s counsel, Mathew Burkaa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
According to reports, Agboro reiterated that Mr. Emefiele allegedly conferred unfair advantages on Saadatu Yaro, a CBN employee, as well as on his wife and brother-in-law through awarded contracts.
When asked if Mr. Emefiele personally approved and awarded contracts, Agboro confirmed that the defendant indeed approved the contracts in question.
Responding to queries about the distinction between Mr. Emefiele and the CBN institution, Agboro noted that while Mr. Emefiele was an employee of the CBN, there existed a difference between the two entities.
Regarding Mr. Emefiele’s role in the tender’s board or procurement department, Agboro admitted he did not possess knowledge on those specifics.
He said “We limited our investigation to him, his wife, relatives and associates.”
However, Michael Agboro clarified that investigations did not find evidence of Mr. Emefiele holding directorship, shareholding, or account signing authority in April 1616 Limited or Architekon Nigeria Limited.
He also acknowledged there was no proof indicating these companies paid Mr. Emefiele for his official duties.
When questioned about whether his investigative team interviewed relevant CBN officials regarding the execution of contracts by these firms, Agboro confirmed they did.
However, he admitted he couldn’t recall if their final report definitively stated whether the companies successfully completed the contracted jobs.
Justice Muazu accepted the exhibits into evidence and adjourned the case until June 25, 2024, for the witness to undergo re-examination.
The prosecution has leveled 20 charges against Mr. Emefiele, including criminal breach of trust, forgery, conspiracy to obtain money by false pretenses, and obtaining money under false pretenses during his tenure as CBN governor.
Furthermore, it is alleged that Mr. Emefiele forged a document titled “Re: Presidential Directive on Foreign Election Observer Missions” dated January 26, 2023, with Reference No. SGF.43/L.01/201, purportedly from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
The EFCC has accused him of leveraging his position as CBN governor to unfairly benefit two companies, namely April 1616 Nigeria Ltd and Architekon Nigeria Ltd, through corrupt means.
In a shocking incident on Sunday morning, unknown gunmen suspected to be kidnappers invaded the home of Alhaji Auwal, a prominent businessman, in Garo Town, Kabo Local Government Area of Kano State.
The gunmen, estimated to be around 10 in number, forced their way into the residence, breaking down a door to gain entry.
An anonymous source revealed that the attackers were heavily armed, with three carrying firearms and the rest wielding other weapons.
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They quickly gathered the entire family in one room, instilling fear and panic in the household.
According to the source, Alhaji Auwal pleaded with the assailants to spare his family and agreed to meet their demands.
The kidnappers, who were determined to extort money, received ₦8 million from the family.
Despite this payment, the gunmen took the businessman’s eldest daughter, Zainab, a secondary school graduate, before fleeing the scene.
The whereabouts of Zainab remain unknown, and as of now, the kidnappers have not contacted the family.
This abduction comes just 48 hours after the tragic kidnapping and subsequent murder of former Gombe State Permanent Secretary, Atiku Mu’azu, who was killed by gunmen after a ₦10 million ransom was paid.
The two incidents have left the residents of Kano in shock and fear, prompting calls for increased security measures in the area.
Attempts to reach the spokesperson for the Kano Police Command, SP Abdullahi Haruna, for comment were unsuccessful as his phone remained unreachable.
Authorities have yet to make any official statements regarding the investigation.
In a bold move, Colombian President Gustavo Petro declared on Sunday that he would not allow US deportation flights carrying Colombian migrants to access his country’s airspace.
The left-wing leader took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his strong stance, stating, “The United States cannot treat Colombian migrants as criminals. I forbid entry to our territory to US planes carrying Colombian migrants.”
Petro made it clear that such flights would only be accepted once Washington established a protocol to ensure the “dignified treatment” of deported migrants.
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The president later confirmed in a separate post that he had already turned back US military planes that were en route with Colombian migrants on board, although he did not provide further specifics on the matter.
While AFP sought confirmation from US authorities regarding the blockade of deportation flights, no immediate response was forthcoming.
Petro’s statements come just a day after Brazil’s government voiced similar outrage over the treatment of deported Brazilians.
Brazil condemned the US administration under President Donald Trump, citing instances where Brazilian migrants were deported while handcuffed on flights, describing it as a “flagrant disregard” for their basic rights.
In his remarks, Petro emphasized that he would be open to allowing civilian US flights to transport deported migrants as long as they were not subjected to treatment “like criminals,” signaling a broader call for humane treatment of migrants under international deportation policies.
An explosion at a mining site in Sabon Pegi, Mashegun Local Government Area of Niger State, claimed the lives of four individuals and left several others injured on Sunday morning.
The blast occurred as miners resumed operations, sending shockwaves through the community.
While the exact cause of the explosion remains undetermined, local residents have pointed to the poor handling of explosive devices by mining companies as a possible factor.
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The incident has sparked concerns about safety practices within the mining sector.
Community sources confirmed the recovery of four bodies, but authorities fear the death toll could rise.
Investigations are ongoing to establish the cause of the blast and assess the full extent of the damage.
One resident, Aminu, described the chaos that followed the explosion. “The sound was so loud that many of us thought it came from the hydroelectricity dam nearby. People panicked and ran into the bush for safety,” he recounted.
Another community member highlighted the potential role of mining operations in the tragedy.
“Mining companies here frequently use explosives during their activities, and this seems like an operational issue, not something related to terrorism,” the resident said, dismissing concerns about a security threat in the area.
As of the time of reporting, neither the state government nor security agencies have released an official statement regarding the explosion.
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