![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaNigerian ex-President Muhammadu Buhari’s signature forged to withdraw $6m, court hearsPublished1 hour agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Nigeria’s former central bank chief Godwin Emefiele has described the allegations against him as “barefaced lies”By Gloria AradiBBC NewsNigeria is seeking Interpol’s help to arrest three suspects who allegedly stole $6.2m (£4.9m) from the central bank, using the forged signature of then President Muhammadu Buhari.Authorities believe that the suspects conspired with Nigeria’s former central bank chief Godwin Emefiele.He is already on trial on 20 charges, including illegally receiving the $6.2m.Mr Emefiele has denied all the charges, and is currently out on bail.He is the most high-profile former official to be charged with corruption since President Bola Tinubu took office last May.Prosecutors also allege that Mr Emefiele unlawfully authorised the release of the money from the central bank vault.In a statement last December, he described the allegations as “barefaced lies told by the investigator in order to achieve his satanic agenda”. He called for a “thorough and transparent investigation”.Mr Emefiele’s alleged accomplices have been named as Adamu Abubakar, Imam Abubakar and Odoh Ocheme, a former central bank employee, the state-owned News Agency of Nigeria reported.The suspects are believed to have left Nigeria, prompting the authorities to seek Interpol’s help with their arrest and repatriation, the agency added.None of the three suspects have commented on the allegations against them.Image source, ReutersImage caption, The alleged theft took place several months before Muhammadu Buhari stepped down as presidentThe government ordered their arrest late on Tuesday, hours after Boss Mustapha, a senior official in ex-President Buhari’s administration, testified in Mr Emefiele’s trial.Mr Mustapha told the court in the capital, Abuja, that neither he nor Mr Buhari had given their signatures to approve the withdrawal of the $6.2m.”Looking at the signature, it is a faint attempt at reproducing [former] President Buhari’s signature,” Mr Mustapha was quoted as telling the court by the Nation newspaper.When shown the document used to withdraw the funds, Mr Mustapha said it “did not emanate from the office of the president”, the newspaper added.The funds were withdrawn in cash in January last year, a few months before Mr Buhari’s term ended.Prosecutors allege that Mr Emefiele falsified the document in question, which requested the central bank to issue the funds so that Mr Buhari could use them to pay foreign election observers.Mr Emefiele was appointed as central bank governor in 2014 by then-President Goodluck Jonathan, with Mr Buhari reappointing him in 2019. He held the post until Mr Tinubu took office.More Nigeria stories from the BBC: Nigerians turn to rice that’s normally thrown awayDramatic downfall of top banker captivates NigeriaThe Nigerian professor who makes more money weldingRelated TopicsMuhammadu BuhariNigeriaMore on this storyNigerians turn to rice that’s normally thrown awayPublished12 hours agoDramatic downfall of top banker captivates NigeriaPublished26 July 2023Top StoriesUkraine claims sinking of Russian ship off CrimeaPublished3 hours agoFull cemeteries and empty homes: Ukrainians struggle two years after invasionPublished2 hours agoCrackers and cake drive food price fall but overall inflation stays at 4%Published3 hours agoFeaturesSteve Wright: Radio giant and feel-good friend to millions’Like a friend’ – listeners’ tributes to Steve WrightFull cemeteries and empty homes: Ukrainians struggle two years after invasionTorvill, Dean and the death of romanceAttributionSportResignations of leading women give Hungary’s Orban his biggest crisis’He said he was a UN surgeon and that lured me in’ – the world of romance scamsAI fake nearly led to serious disorder, says Sadiq KhanWhat shoppers never saw – glimpses inside historic Edinburgh store JennersWatch: What the maps miss about this huge Asian nation. VideoWatch: What the maps miss about this huge Asian nationElsewhere on the BBCExperience Apollo 11’s adventure first-hand!Discover the awe-inspiring journey of Apollo 11 and its crew with newly released cockpit audioAttributioniPlayerWhat holds us back from exercising as we age?James Gallagher explores the mental and physical barriers that may stop usAttributionSoundsFrom the seizure of Crimea to the war in UkraineThe inside story of a decade of clashes, as told by the Western leaders who traded blows with PutinAttributioniPlayerOff the pitch, on the playlistJoin Gary Neville as he shares the music that has shaped his lifeAttributionSoundsMost Read1Ukraine claims sinking of Russian ship off Crimea2Disabled man ‘stunned council took back savings’3DJs pay emotional tributes to ‘radio legend’4Israel launches ‘extensive’ strikes on Lebanon5University contributed to student’s death, court upholds6Accused admits indecently assaulting Emma Caldwell7Marten avoided police questions on baby, court told8Crackers and cake drive first monthly food price fall9A20 drivers will not have penalties waived – Met10Inside the parts of Jenners you’ve never seen before](https://newsinsightplus.com/wp-content/uploads/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/branded_news/FF8A/production/_118781456_mediaitem118781455.jpg)
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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaNigerian ex-President Muhammadu Buhari’s signature forged to withdraw $6m, court hearsPublished1 hour agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Nigeria’s former central bank chief Godwin Emefiele has described the allegations against him as “barefaced lies”By Gloria AradiBBC NewsNigeria is seeking Interpol’s help to arrest three suspects who allegedly stole $6.2m (£4.9m) from the central bank, using the forged signature of then President Muhammadu Buhari.Authorities believe that the suspects conspired with Nigeria’s former central bank chief Godwin Emefiele.He is already on trial on 20 charges, including illegally receiving the $6.2m.Mr Emefiele has denied all the charges, and is currently out on bail.He is the most high-profile former official to be charged with corruption since President Bola Tinubu took office last May.Prosecutors also allege that Mr Emefiele unlawfully authorised the release of the money from the central bank vault.In a statement last December, he described the allegations as “barefaced lies told by the investigator in order to achieve his satanic agenda”. He called for a “thorough and transparent investigation”.Mr Emefiele’s alleged accomplices have been named as Adamu Abubakar, Imam Abubakar and Odoh Ocheme, a former central bank employee, the state-owned News Agency of Nigeria reported.The suspects are believed to have left Nigeria, prompting the authorities to seek Interpol’s help with their arrest and repatriation, the agency added.None of the three suspects have commented on the allegations against them.Image source, ReutersImage caption, The alleged theft took place several months before Muhammadu Buhari stepped down as presidentThe government ordered their arrest late on Tuesday, hours after Boss Mustapha, a senior official in ex-President Buhari’s administration, testified in Mr Emefiele’s trial.Mr Mustapha told the court in the capital, Abuja, that neither he nor Mr Buhari had given their signatures to approve the withdrawal of the $6.2m.”Looking at the signature, it is a faint attempt at reproducing [former] President Buhari’s signature,” Mr Mustapha was quoted as telling the court by the Nation newspaper.When shown the document used to withdraw the funds, Mr Mustapha said it “did not emanate from the office of the president”, the newspaper added.The funds were withdrawn in cash in January last year, a few months before Mr Buhari’s term ended.Prosecutors allege that Mr Emefiele falsified the document in question, which requested the central bank to issue the funds so that Mr Buhari could use them to pay foreign election observers.Mr Emefiele was appointed as central bank governor in 2014 by then-President Goodluck Jonathan, with Mr Buhari reappointing him in 2019. He held the post until Mr Tinubu took office.More Nigeria stories from the BBC: Nigerians turn to rice that’s normally thrown awayDramatic downfall of top banker captivates NigeriaThe Nigerian professor who makes more money weldingRelated TopicsMuhammadu BuhariNigeriaMore on this storyNigerians turn to rice that’s normally thrown awayPublished12 hours agoDramatic downfall of top banker captivates NigeriaPublished26 July 2023Top StoriesUkraine claims sinking of Russian ship off CrimeaPublished3 hours agoFull cemeteries and empty homes: Ukrainians struggle two years after invasionPublished2 hours agoCrackers and cake drive food price fall but overall inflation stays at 4%Published3 hours agoFeaturesSteve Wright: Radio giant and feel-good friend to millions’Like a friend’ – listeners’ tributes to Steve WrightFull cemeteries and empty homes: Ukrainians struggle two years after invasionTorvill, Dean and the death of romanceAttributionSportResignations of leading women give Hungary’s Orban his biggest crisis’He said he was a UN surgeon and that lured me in’ – the world of romance scamsAI fake nearly led to serious disorder, says Sadiq KhanWhat shoppers never saw – glimpses inside historic Edinburgh store JennersWatch: What the maps miss about this huge Asian nation. VideoWatch: What the maps miss about this huge Asian nationElsewhere on the BBCExperience Apollo 11’s adventure first-hand!Discover the awe-inspiring journey of Apollo 11 and its crew with newly released cockpit audioAttributioniPlayerWhat holds us back from exercising as we age?James Gallagher explores the mental and physical barriers that may stop usAttributionSoundsFrom the seizure of Crimea to the war in UkraineThe inside story of a decade of clashes, as told by the Western leaders who traded blows with PutinAttributioniPlayerOff the pitch, on the playlistJoin Gary Neville as he shares the music that has shaped his lifeAttributionSoundsMost Read1Ukraine claims sinking of Russian ship off Crimea2Disabled man ‘stunned council took back savings’3DJs pay emotional tributes to ‘radio legend’4Israel launches ‘extensive’ strikes on Lebanon5University contributed to student’s death, court upholds6Accused admits indecently assaulting Emma Caldwell7Marten avoided police questions on baby, court told8Crackers and cake drive first monthly food price fall9A20 drivers will not have penalties waived – Met10Inside the parts of Jenners you’ve never seen before
[ad_1] A Nigerian court hears dramatic testimony in the corruption trial of the former central bank chief.
