Emefiele Trial: $6.23M Withdrawal Called 'Pure Theft'

During the trial of Godwin Emefiele, the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, a witness named Eloho Okpoziakpo testified that the withdrawal of $6.23 million from the bank's vault was an act of "pure theft." The testimony was presented on July 2, 2026, at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, where the prosecution, led by Rotimi Oyedepo SAN, is investigating the alleged fraudulent activities. Okpoziakpo asserted that the funds were misappropriated under the guise of payments for foreign election observer missions, revealing that the true intent was to plunder state resources.

The investigation uncovered that the funds were withdrawn without following standard operational procedures, bypassing established hierarchies within the bank. The case also highlighted high-level forgery involving Mustapha, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, who disowned his signature on related documents.

The trial is set to continue on July 3, 2026.