Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Federal Government, on Tuesday, declared three persons including a staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, wanted for allegedly forging the signature of former President Muhammadu Buhari, and withdrawing from the CBN, $6.2 million dollars for foreign election observers in 2023.
The suspects include: Adamu Abubakar, Imam Abubakar, and Odoh Ocheme, a CBN staff.
This was contained in a letter addressed to the Assistant Inspector General of Police by the Office of the CBN Special Investigator.
Recall that the embattled CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, is also standing trial for alleged abuses at the apex bank.
The suspects who are said to be currently at large, have been placed on the watchlist of INTERPOL.
The letter, signed by Head of Operation, Office of Special Investigator, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Eloho Okpoziakpo, read: “The Special Investigator, appointed by the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to investigate the CBN Related Entities and other key government business entities, KGBEs, kindly requests you to place the above-named individuals on INTERPOL red notice.
“In the course of the Special Investigator’s assignment, Mr. Odoh Ocheme, (a staff of the CBN) now at large and the other two accomplices, also now at large, were discovered to have conspired and forged documents in the name of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria with which they stole about US$6,230,000 in cash, from the coffers of the CBN.
“Consequent upon the above, a charge was filed and warrants of arrest have been issued by the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Abuja Division, presided over by Hon. Justice I.E. Ekwo in Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/19/2024 B/w: Federal Republic of Nigeria v. Adamu Abubakar & 2 Ors for the arrest and production of the Defendants named above for their arraignment.
The data page of Odoh Ocheme’s Nigerian International Passport No. B50082800, duly certified true copies of the warrants and the Order of the Court to that effect are hereby attached.
“The special investigator, therefore, prays you to use your good offices to request that the Defendants be placed on Interpol Red Notice, with a view to apprehending and repatriating them from any of the Interpol member states to which they may have flown.”
Meanwhile, the FG has filed a six-count charge against the suspects.
