The Presidency has requested the Interpol National Central Bureau to place a Central Bank of Nigeria’s, (CBN’s) staff, Odoh Eric Ocheme, and two others on its Red Notice with a view to arresting them over fraudulent acts involving millions of dollars from the apex bank.
Specifically, the Federal Government’s request to the Interpol is connected to the suspects’ alleged conspiracy and forging of documents in the name of former President Muhammadu Buhari, to steal the sum of $6.23 million in cash from the CBN.
According to documents from the Presidency, the other two suspects are one Mallam Adamu Abubakar and Imam Abubakar.
The request was made by the Office of the Special Investigator appointed by President Bola Tinubu to investigate the CBN, related entities and other key government business entities, following the granting of an application of warrant filed by the Federal Government before a Federal High Court in Abuja for the arrest of the three persons.
According to the warrant of arrest, the three persons are to be arrested and arraigned before the court on or before May 7, 2024 while the Interpol is expected to apprehend and repatriate the suspects, who are at large, from any of the Interpol member-states to which they may have escaped.
Boss Mustapha, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), had on Tuesday testified at an Abuja High Court that former President Muhammadu Buhari’s signature was forged to withdraw the said 6.23 million US dollars from the CBN.
While testifying in the trial of former CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, said he knew nothing about the withdrawal of the money for the payment of foreign observers for the 2023 general elections.
The former SGF pointed out that it was the responsibility of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to deal with issues of election observers.
An official of the apex bank had on Monday told the court that the amount was given out in cash to an official from the office of the SGF following approvals by former President Buhari and the former CBN governor.
