By Milcah Tanimu
In a shocking turn of events, former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, is currently in custody at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). This development comes less than an hour after his release from the Department of State Services (DSS).
Reliable sources confirmed that Emefiele is currently under intense interrogation at the EFCC’s National Headquarters in Jabi, Abuja. The reason behind his detention is alleged impropriety during his tenure as the head of the apex bank.
Our sources reveal that the EFCC is investigating Emefiele for a range of alleged offenses, including misappropriation of funds during his term as CBN governor. Fresh charges may also be filed against him as the investigation progresses.
Efforts to obtain official confirmation from the EFCC’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, were unsuccessful as of the time of this report.
Emefiele had been in the custody of the Department of State Services since June, following his suspension by President Bola Tinubu. He was directed to hand over his responsibilities to Folashodun Shonubi, the Deputy Governor of the Operations Directorate at the CBN.
A day later, the DSS announced that Emefiele was in their custody for “investigative reasons.” He was arraigned on July 25 on a two-count charge related to “illegal possession” of firearms at a federal high court in Lagos, for which he was granted bail in the sum of N20 million. However, the charges were later withdrawn by the Federal Government.
Subsequently, a new 20-count charge was brought against him, including alleged involvement in procurement fraud. The arraignment for these charges was postponed twice, and Emefiele reportedly proposed a plea bargain agreement with the government. The terms of the proposed agreement reportedly included his resignation as CBN governor and forfeiture of certain assets.
On September 22, the CBN officially confirmed Emefiele’s resignation, with Olayemi Cardoso appointed as the substantive governor of the apex bank. This dramatic sequence of events has left many questions unanswered, and Emefiele’s detention at the EFCC adds a new layer of intrigue to this unfolding saga.
