By Jude-Ken Ojinnaka
The Special Investigators appointed by President Bola Tinubu to probe the Central Bank of Nigeria have invited not less than 20 persons suspected to have direct or indirect link with embattled former Central Bank governor Godwin Emefiele for questioning.
TheNiche gathered that among those so far quizzed are the four Deputy Governors of the bank, some directors and drivers including Emefiele’s driver.
According to one of the sources who pleaded anonymity, the drivers were interrogated because “they were the ones who carried the big men around.”
“Many directors, especially the ones directly under the Deputy Governors, were interviewed.
“They have also invited officials of the Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC) and those in charge of all those intervention programmes were also invited.” the source disclosed.
Some officials of Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL), Microfinance Bank (NMFB), Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS), were similarly invited for questioning.
The Special Investigators paid a quiet visit to the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL Plc) on Friday in furtherance of their assignment. However, no arrest was made on that occasion.
According to sources, the Executive Secretary of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN), Shuaib Ahmed, and his deputy, Iheanyi Anyahara, were invited to appear before the panel in connection with the preparation of the CBN audited financial statements from 2016 to 2022.
“Some of those summoned are detained till the following day if their interrogation takes longer than anticipated or if they need some documents from their office and they did not bring them along. They will be detained while they send for the documents.
“Also if they are interrogating someone and he is being linked with someone else, the person is kept there till they invite the other person, and they will be interrogated separately.
“We can’t put a number to those invited yet. Let’s just say close to 20 have been invited, a source disclosed.
TheNiche gathered that the special investigator’s invitation may also be extended to retired directors.
“Any director who has retired and has anything to do with the case will be invited. Even board members who have retired can be invited,” the source added.
A parallel investigation of the CBN is being carried out by the Department of State Services (DSS) under the inter-agency committee.
It was the inter-agency committee that detained deputy governors Aisha Ahmad and Kingsley Obiora.
Continuing, the source said: “The DSS investigative team is different from Obaze’s team.
“What I don’t understand is where they submit their own report. Or do they just want to keep it for their own (inter agency) information since it is not stated anywhere who ordered them to do that.
“Everybody knows Obaze’s team gets its directives from the President.”
Recall that President Tinubu, had in July 28, 2023 , appointed Obaze, the founding Executive Secretary of the FRCN, to probe the activities of the CBN and its affiliated/related entities.
The probe is looking into the books of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Ltd (NNPCL), the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and other government business entities, which the President, in the letter he personally signed, said was in continuation of government’s anti-corruption fight.
The letter reads: “In accordance with the fundamental objectives set forth in Section 15(5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), this administration is, today, continuing the fight against corruption by appointing you as a Special Investigator, to investigate the CBN and related entities.
“This appointment shall be with immediate effect and you are to report directly to my office.”
