Emiefele: More Heads May Roll As Investigators Probe CBN, NIRSAL
The special investigator appointed by President Bola Tinubu and his support team are set to probe officials involved in alleged sharp practices at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and related entities
President Tinubu after suspending the Governor of the apex bank, Godwin Emefiele appointed Jim Obazee as a Special Investigator to probe the activities of the CBN and other related entities.
The President in a letter dated July 28, said the appointment of Obazee, relying on the fundamental objective outlined in Section 15(5) of the Nigerian Constitution, was in furtherance of his administration’s anti-corruption fight.
The acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun on September 6 deployed a four-man team of senior officers to support the special investigator to probe the activities of the apex bank and related entities……………………………..CONTINUE READING
The deployment was in response to a letter by Obazee dated August 18 requesting the IGP to deploy senior officers to his office to facilitate the smooth take-off and execution of his assignment.
In response, the IGP in a letter titled, ‘Deployment of Police Personnel’ with reference number TH:5361/FS/FHQ/ABJ/T.5/428, listed the deployed officers as DCP Eloho Edwin Okpoziakpo; CSP Celestine Odo; CSP Segun Aderoju and DSP Tijani A. Bako.
It was gathered that preliminary findings based on developed intelligence by the investigating team led by DCP Eloho are already causing sleepless nights to the top management at the CBN and NIRSAL.
A source who spoke with Daily Trust revealed that the investigators would be digging into the alleged allocation of about N600,000 monthly for the upkeep of the former MD’s dogs.
It was gathered that some close aides of the embattled ex-CBN governor and officials of other affected entities are jittery as the crack team is set to start quizzing them over some contracts at NIRSAL, as well as the CBN’s Anchor Borrowers Programme soon.
Among the contracts is that for the design, development, and hosting of the Jigawa State unemployed graduate database for NIRSAL which was first awarded to a company, Syspec Network Limited of No.20 Jalingo Shopping Complex, Jalingo, Taraba State.
The contract award letter dated May 23, 2016, with Reference Number: MD/PROC/013 was signed by the ousted Managing Director of NIRSAL, Aliyu Abdulhameed. It was said to have been re-awarded several times as a conduit……………………………..CONTINUE READING
The source stated, “The investigators are also set to unravel how the Anchor Borrowers funds were being kept as fixed deposits by parties close to the embattled CBN governor. This scheme was to allow parties involved to scoop the interest generated by the deposits.
“This development led to a significant delay in the delivery of fertilizers and other inputs to farmers, and by the time the inputs were eventually supplied, the planting season would have been over even as they (farmers) were expected to pay for the unsupplied inputs.”
The Anchor Borrowers’ Programme guidelines stipulate that upon harvest, benefiting farmers are to repay their loans with produce (which must cover the loan principal and interest) to an anchor, who pays the cash equivalent to the farmer’s account.
Another source revealed that among those involved in the fixed deposits racket is an aide of the ex-CBN governor (names withheld) who is said to have operated a total of 61 bank accounts that included 44 fixed deposit accounts and 2 treasury bills accounts.
