CBN investigator’s report false, misleading – Emefiele

Embattled former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria has denied a report by Central Bank of Nigeria’s private investigator, Jim Obazee, that he lodged £543, 482,213 in fixed deposits in UK banks alone without authorisation among other allegations.

Emefiele made this known Sunday night in a signed statement entitled, “Re: Emefiele, others stole billions, illegally kept Nigeria’s funds in foreign banks” which was made available to our correspondent.

The PUNCH had exclusively reported that Obazee revealed that the former CBN governor illegally lodged billions of naira in foreign currencies in no fewer than 593 bank accounts in the United States, United Kingdom, and China without the approval of the apex bank’s board of directors and the CBN Investment Committee.

However, Emefiele on Sunday said the report was misleading and a calculated attempt to disparage his person, injure his character and serve the selfish interest of the private investigator.

He said, “I have gone through the publications, and I say boldly that the contents of the said publications are false, misleading and calculated to disparage my person, injure my character and serve the selfish interest of the private investigator.

“Because of my present situation, I have been advised by my lawyers not to say anything in respect of the matters which have been submitted to the court for adjudication. However, I need to address some of the issues raised in the publication which are barefaced lies told by the investigator in order to achieve his satanic agenda

“First, it was reported that contrary to the provision of the CBN Act 2007, there was no presidential approval for the Naira redesign. I wish to state unequivocally that there was indeed a presidential approval, and the said approval was handed over to the same Jim Obazee during the process of his investigation in the presence of senior CBN officials and his own investigative team.

“Moreover, the former President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR has stated on a number of occasions that he authorised and approved the Naira redesign.