Buhari’s Signature: Interpol asked by Presidency to arrest 3 suspects for $6.23m scam

 

The Presidency has asked the Interpol National Central Bureau to put a Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) staff and two others on its Red Notice.

The request was related to their alleged plot and falsification of documents in the name of ex-president Muhammadu Buhari to take the sum of 6.23 million U.S. dollars in cash from the CBN.

A document obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday showed the names of Odoh Eric Ocheme, who is a staff of the CBN, Adamu Abubakar and Imam Abubakar on the list sent to Interpol.

The request was made by the Office of the Special Investigator appointed by President Bola Tinubu to investigate the CBN, related entities and other key government business entities. NAN reports that the government had obtained an application of warrant filed before a Federal High Court in Abuja for the arrest of the three persons.

The three persons are to be arrested and brought before the court on or before May 7, 2024. The Interpol is expected to capture and return the suspects, who are on the run, from any of the Interpol members states to which they may have escaped. NAN reports that Boss Mustapha, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), on Tuesday testified at an Abuja High Court that former President Muhammadu Buhari’s signature was faked to take the said 6.23 million US dollars from the CBN.

Mustapha, who testified in the trial of former CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, said he had no idea about the withdrawal of the money for the payment of foreign observers for the 2023 general elections. He said that it was the duty of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to handle issues of election observers.

An official of the CBN had on Monday told the court that the amount was given out in cash. He said that it was given to an official from the office of the SGF following approvals by former president Buhari and Emefiele.