Ex-SGF Alleges Buhari's Signature Forged For $6.2b CBN Withdrawal

Former President of Nigeria, Mohammed Buhari, former Central Bank Of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele and former secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha

Buhari's signature was forged to withdraw $6.2b from CBN for payment of election observers ex-SGF, Boss Mustapha

According to Boss Mustapha, a former secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), neither he nor former President Muhammadu Buhari approved the $6,230,000 payment to foreign election observers, as reported.

Speaking as the second prosecution witness in Godwin Emefiele's (former CBN governor) trial, Mustapha gave his testimony on Tuesday.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed 20 amended criminal charges against Emefiele, and he is currently facing trial on those counts. The amended charges center on allegations of procurement fraud, forgery, criminal breach of trust, and conspiracy to commit a felony. He was charged with using a phony SGF identity to obtain $6.2 million illegally.

According to the amended charge marked CR/ 577/2023, Emefiele, on February 8, 2023, connived with one Odoh Ocheme, who is now on the run, to obtain $6.2 million from the CBN, claiming that the SGF requested it “vide a letter dated 26th January 2023 with Ref No. SGF.43/L. 01/201.”

Read: Emefiele Arraigned On Amended 20-Count Charge

However Mustapha asserted in testimony given by Rotimi Oyedepo that he was unaware of the transaction even after he departed office in May 2023. He stated that the news was only made public by the press in December 2023, at which point he learned of it. 

A letter bearing the Nigerian president's seal does not bear a reference number. The authority is the seal, “on the face value of the document, I can say having served five years and seven months, this document did not emanate from the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.” Disputing the authenticity of the letter from the president, Boss said “a correspondence that carries the seal of the president of Nigeria does not carry a reference number. The seal is the authority.”

“The Federal Executive Council (FEC) decisions are not transmitted by letters. They are transmitted through extracts after conclusions are adopted,” he said. “I am the custodian of the record of FEC, for that reason, the president cannot refer any executive conclusion to me. All the years I have served, I have never heard of the term. “special appropriation provision.”

“The two terms known to me are appropriation as provided for by the Appropriation Act passed by the national assembly. The second is when the government finds a gap, it brings a supplementary appropriation.

“In all the correspondences I have received from Buhari, it has never had 'please accept the assurance of my highest regard. I am his subordinate. The signature is a failed attempt at reproducing President Muhammadu Buhari's signature. But I will leave that to the experts.”