Emefiele reacts to stolen funds allegations against him, says report false and misleading

The embattled former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele, has rejected allegations of stolen funds raised against him in a report of the Special Investigator on the CBN and Related Entities.

In a statement titled, ‘Re: Emefiele, others stole billions, illegally kept Nigeria’s funds in foreign banks, the recently released top banker rejected all accusations against him while saying “I say boldly that the contents of the said publications are false, misleading and calculated to disparage my person, injure my character.”

It was revealed in a report by the Special Investigator on the CBN and Related Entities, Jim Obaze, that the ex-CBN governor lodged £543, 482,213 in fixed deposits in UK banks alone without authorisation.

While reacting to the allegation, Emefiele said, “After my release on bail from the correctional centre, Kuje, my attention was drawn to publications released by some mainstream and online news platforms. The sources of the information published by both media houses were credited to a certain report prepared by Mr. Jim Obazee, who was appointed by the President as a private investigator.

“I have gone through the publications, and I say boldly that the contents of the said publications are false, misleading and calculated to disparage my person, injure my character and serve the selfish interest of the private investigator.”

The former CBN governor added, “The final issue that I would like to respond to is the issue of the 593 accounts which were purportedly opened in different parts of the world.

“I state categorically that I am not involved in the opening of these accounts and I do not know about their openings.

“The fixed deposits in those foreign accounts are definitely outside my knowledge. However, let me state clearly, that the relevant departments of the CBN have the authority to carry out such activities in line with their lawful mandate within the CBN.

“I therefore join well-meaning Nigerians who have spoken on this matter and have demanded a thorough and transparent investigation of all these alleged frauds.”

“I have instructed my lawyers to immediately commence the legal process to clear my name from the defamatory statements contained in the report and by extension the publications.” He concluded.