• The former CBN governor may be confronted with numerous money laundering charges as the anti-graft agency investigates various corporate organizations and individuals.
• The commission emphasizes that its investigation is separate and independent from Obazee’s report.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has contacted more than 85 entities, including corporate organizations and individuals, as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged fraudulent foreign exchange allocations linked to the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.
Reports suggest that Emefiele may face revised charges to incorporate new findings emerging from the ongoing probe into forex transactions under his administration. The anti-graft agency has summoned senior officials from the implicated entities, instructing them to provide detailed documents covering their foreign exchange transactions spanning the last nine years.
While specific details about the 85 entities remain unverified, sources suggest that the Dangote Group and BUA Plc are among those under scrutiny. The EFCC asserts that its investigation is comprehensive and independent of the report by the special investigator appointed by President Bola Tinubu, Jim Obazee.
EFCC operatives conducted a raid on the headquarters of Dangote Industries Limited and the BUA Towers, furthering their investigation into alleged abuse of foreign exchange allocations by Emefiele. Dangote confirmed the raid, indicating cooperation with the EFCC, while BUA insisted that its offices were not raided.
The EFCC official revealed that the investigation is delving into preferential foreign exchange allocations, allegedly made by Emefiele in violation of financial regulations and the CBN Act. The source stated that the charges against Emefiele would likely be amended as more revelations surface from the forex probe.
Following the raid on Dangote and BUA, EFCC officials seized documents related to forex transactions, but not all relevant information was obtained. Consequently, senior officials from the companies have been summoned to provide additional documents in Abuja on Tuesday.
Dangote, in response, highlighted its cooperation with the EFCC’s request for information, stating that no accusations of wrongdoing had been made against the company. The EFCC spokesperson declined to comment on the latest developments.
The ongoing investigation stems from allegations made by the Special Investigator Jim Obazee, accusing Emefiele of lodging public funds in foreign accounts without authorization, manipulating the naira exchange rate, and committing fraud in the e-Naira project. Obazee’s report recommended fresh charges against Emefiele and other top officials.
