January 13,2023

Emefiele has not been in the country for several weeks following the investigation of several allegations against him, including corruption and terrorism financing.

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele is not yet back in the country, multiple sources told SaharaReporters on Friday.

Emefiele has not been in the country for several weeks following the investigation of several allegations against him, including corruption and terrorism financing

The secret police, the Department of State Services said its preliminary investigation revealed various acts of terrorism financing and fraudulent activities perpetrated by Emefiele. It also accused the apex bank governor of being involved in economic crimes of national security dimension.

But a Federal High Court in Maitama, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja recently issued an order restraining the DSS from arresting, detaining or questioning Emefiele.

On Thursday, there were various reports online that the apex bank boss was back in Nigeria but sources told SaharaReporters that he is still abroad, afraid to set foot in Nigeria for fear of being arrested and detained by the secret police

One of the sources noted that the secret police are on alert and on the lookout for Emefiele. According to the source, the DSS would arrest Emefiele regardless of his antics and the recent court ruling.

Emefiele was part of President Muhammadu Buhari’s entourage to the US-Africa Leaders’ Summit in Washington DC between December 13 and 15, 2022.

While Buhari returned to Abuja a day after the summit, the CBN governor deliberately decided to delay his return to Nigeria.

“Emefiele is not back in Nigeria as reported by some platforms. DSS is still looking for him. DSS operatives are on alert.

“All the CBN directors have abandoned him except Kingsley Obiora and Aishah Ahmad. The report that he was back in Nigeria is false. He has nowhere to hide,” one of the sources said.

Obiora is the Deputy Governor in charge of Economic Policy at the CBN while Aishah Ahmad was appointed Deputy Governor on March 23, 2018. Prior to her appointment at the CBN, Aishah was Executive Director, Retail Banking at Diamond Bank PLC. In December 2022, President Muhammadu Buhari asked the Senate to confirm the nomination of Aishah for re-appointment as deputy governor of the CBN, along with Edward Adamu.

SaharaReporters had reported how the CBN boss perfected plans to cover up his corruption records in the last eight years.

Emefiele, who has been governor since 2014, is the first person to serve two terms at the head of Nigeria’s apex bank in nearly 20 years.

He was first appointed by then-President Goodluck Jonathan in June 2014, after Sarah Alade served out the term of the suspended Lamido Sanusi.

Multiple sources told SaharaReporters how Emefiele secretly sent the names of Aishah and Adamu, Deputy Governor, Corporate Services Directorate to President Buhari for renewal.

The move by Emefiele to nominate his stooges for re-appointment was part of his plans to cover his corruption records in the bank.

“Emefiele has secretly sent Aisha and Edward’s names for renewal months before time to stop the next government from appointing their own candidate and to allow them to cover his back,” a source in the bank had told SaharaReporters.

“He has paid the Villa cabals millions in dollars to get the renewals approved. Edward was that one on the audio SaharaReporters exclusively leaked.

“Aishah (Ahmad) is that deputy governor that Samaila Isa Funtua and his son brought.”

In contravention of the CBN act, Emefiele in 2021 joined the ruling All Progressives Congress.

The action was against Section 9 of the CBN Act, 2007, which stated: “The Governor and the Deputy Governors shall devote the whole of their time to the service of the bank and while holding office shall not engage in any full or part-time employment or vocation whether remunerated or not except such personal or charitable causes as may be determined by the Board and which do not conflict with or detract from their full-time duties.”

According to the chairman of Ward 6 in the Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State, Nduka Erikpume, the CBN governor had registered as an APC member.

“Yes, he has registered since February 2021. He is our member,” Erikpume had said.

Amid widespread condemnations in 2022, the CBN governor headed to a Federal High Court in Abuja to seek a constitutional interpretation of his non-resignation while pursuing his political interests