By Abimbola Ogunnaike
Former Secretary of the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, on Tuesday, 13 February, 2024 told Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja that a forged document was presented for the release of $6.2 million to election observers by Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in February 2023.
Mustapha made this revelation before the court when he appeared as the fourth prosecution witness in the ongoing fraud trial of Emefiele
Recall that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) had alleged that on February 8, 2023, Emefiele connived with one Odoh Ocheme, who is now on the run, to obtain $6.2 million from the CBN, claiming that it was requested by the SGF “vide a letter dated 26th January 2023 with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/.
The anti-graft agency also alleged that Emefiele, in January 2023, forged a document titled: “RE: PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE ON FOREIGN ELECTION OBSERVER MISSIONS,” dated 26 January 2023 with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/201.
Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), on Tuesday, 13 February, 2024, Mustapha, who noted that neither the documents came from the President nor his office, also denied receiving any amount from the said money.
“All through my service year as the SGF, I never came across these documents allegedly signed by Buhari. From the face value of this document, having served for five years and seven months as SGF, this document did not emanate from the President for the following reasons:
“A correspondence that has the Seal of the Nigerian President does not carry a reference number. The seal is the authority.
“Secondly, I have looked at it and read, that FEC decisions are not transmitted by letters. They are transmitted through extracts after conclusions are adopted.
“Thirdly, I am the custodian of FEC, the president will not refer executives’ conclusions to me.
“Also, in all the five years and seven months, I have never heard of the terms special appropriation provision referred to. The terms known to me, my Lord, are appropriation as provided by the Appropriation Act normally passed by the National Assembly.
“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, my correspondences do not carry that.
And lastly, looking at the signature, it is a failed attempt at reproducing Buhari’s signature. I will leave that to the experts,” Mustapha said.
