FG’ Special investigators Ask Interpol to place 3 Nigerians Linked to CBN Book Probe on Its Red List
Meanwhile, the special investigators appointed by President Tinubu to investigate the book of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have asked the international police to place three Nigerians on its red list.
The suspects are former staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Odoh Ocheme, Adamu Abubakar, and Imam Abubakar over the forged document used to steal $6.2 million from the apex bank.
The investigative panel forwarded a letter dated February 12, 2024, issued by Eloho Okpozakpo, to Interpol accusing them of forging the signature of Buhari.
It noted that the three persons who are now at large had conspired and forged documents in the name of the former President, carting away $6.23m.
It read, “The Special Investigator appointed by the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to investigate the Central Bank of Nigeria, Related Entities and other Key Government Business Entities kindly requests you to place the above-named individuals on INTERPOL RED NOTICE.
In the course of the Special Investigator’s assignment, Mr Odoh Eric Ocheme, (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.
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Consequent to 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 ILE. 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 Eric 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 Federal High Court, Abuja, had slammed Abubakar, Ocheme and Abubakar with six-count charges.
The charges read, That Adamu Abubakar (now at large), Imam Abubakar (now at large), Odoh Eric Ocheme (now at large), Bashirudeen Maishanu and others also now at large, on or about January 23, 2023, at the Central Bank of Nigeria, Abuja Branch, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, by false pretence that one man who held out himself as Jibril Abubakar is a Staff from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and had approval of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to source money from the Central Bank of Nigeria for foreign Election Observers, and with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of $6,230,000.00 from the Central Bank of Nigeria, Abuja Branch and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1)[a] and punishable under Section 1(3) & Section 10 of the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, Cap. A6 laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2010.
That Adamu Abubakar (now at large), Imam Abubakar (now at large), Odoh Eric Ocheme (now at large), Bashirudeen Maishanu and others also now at large, on or about the 23rd day of January 2023, at the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, conspired among themselves to commit offence to wit; Uttering forged documents and thereby committed an offence contrary to paragraph 3(6) and punishable under Section 1(2)[c] of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap. M17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2010.
That Adamu Abubakar (now at large), Imam Abubakar (now at large), Odoh Eric Ocheme (now at large), Bashirudeen Maishanu and others also now at large, on or about the 23rd day of January, 2023, at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, forged the following documents: (i) The Presidency, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Identity Card in the name of Jibril Abubakar; (i) Letter dated 23rd January, 2023 purportedly written by Muhammad Buhari to the Mr. Boss Mustapha; (ili) Letter dated 26th January, 2023 purportedly written by Boss Mustapha to M.r Godwin Emefiele; (iv) Central Bank of Nigeria Internal Memo dated 31st January, 2023 purportedly written by the Director, Banking Services Department to the Governor; and (V) Central Bank of Nigeria Internal Memo dated 7th February, 2023 purportedly written by the Director, Banking Services Department to the Branch Controller, Abuja, Branch, with the intent that the Central Bank of Nigeria, Abuja Branch may in the believe that the documents are genuine be induced to pay you the sum of $6,230,000.00 and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 1(2)[c] of the Miscellaneous offences Act, Cap. M17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2010.
