The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday quizzed a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele over an alleged financial impropriety that rocked the country’s apex bank when he held sway.
It was learnt that Emefiele was handed over to the anti-graft agency by the State Security Service (DSS) on the “order from the above,” sources who were familiar with the matter told Daily Trust Saturday last night.
The release of the embattled former CBN governor came less than 48 hours after the former chairman of the EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa, regained his freedom and was welcomed home by his wives and children.
As at time of when filing this report late Friday, crack detectives of the anti-graft agency were still grilling the former apex bank boss, particularly on his activities that bordered on forex market.
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“He has been with us since yesterday (Thursday). He is answering some questions on how forex matter was handled during his time as CBN governor, that’s the only thing I can tell you,” a highly-placed official in the commission who pleaded anonymity said.
When contacted, the acting spokesman of the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, told our reporter via telephone that he had not been briefed on the development.
“I have not received any briefing to that effect,” Oyewale tolf Daily Trust Saturday in an interview.
In the same vein, security sources within the secret police confirmed to Daily Trust Saturday that Emefiele was released Thursday night, but it was not clear whether the SSS would still press further charges against him after he had been handed over to the EFCC.
It would be recalled that the former apex bank boss had in July 25 been arraigned by the SSS on a two-count charge bordering on “illegal possession” of firearms at a Federal High Court in Lagos and was granted bail in the sum of N20 million.
Emefiele had been in the custody of the SSS since June, after President Bola Tinubu suspended him from office.
Several efforts to reach the spokesman of the SSS, Peter Afunanya, to seek clarifications proved abortive as different calls to his known mobile phone rang unanswered. He was yet to reply to a text message at the time of filing this report.
