Obazee: Buhari, Boss Mustapha Should Have Been Prosecuted Over Alleged $6.23m CBN Withdrawal
A prosecution witness in the trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, has told the Federal Capital Territory High Court that former President Muhammadu Buhari and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, should also have been prosecuted over the alleged fraudulent withdrawal of $6.23 million from the apex bank.
According to TheCable, the witness, Jim Obazee, made the statement on Friday while testifying before Justice Hamza Muazu in the ongoing trial of Emefiele.
Obazee, who was appointed by President Bola Tinubu in July 2023 as a special investigator to probe the activities of the CBN and related entities, appeared as a witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The EFCC is prosecuting Emefiele on an amended 20-count charge bordering on conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, forgery, obtaining by false pretence and conferring corrupt advantages.
Led in evidence by EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, Obazee alleged that the $6.23 million, reportedly earmarked for a foreign election observer mission during the 2023 general election, was fraudulently withdrawn from the CBN’s Abuja branch and handed over to suspected criminals.
He further disclosed that the special investigation panel recovered $856,500 from Bashirudeen Maishanu, a CBN staff member, adding that Maishanu should also face prosecution.
Obazee argued that Emefiele should not be the only person standing trial over the alleged fraud, insisting that Buhari, Mustapha, Maishanu and former members of the CBN board ought to have been charged as well.
He was quoted as saying, “For actions and inactions, Mr Buhari ought to be charged and must be charged along with Emefiele in this $6.2 million fraud, even if posthumously, since national honours are given posthumously.
“The situation in Nigeria is a very unfortunate one, especially for the federal government to have put only Emefiele on trial in an alleged fraud that involved more than 10 people.
“Whatever you are doing to Mr Emefiele by way of prosecution ought to have been done to Buhari, Mustapha and Bashirudeen Maishanu and former board members of the CBN under Mr Emefiele.”
TheCable recalled that Mustapha, while testifying as a prosecution witness in February 2024, denied that the late former President Buhari authorised the release of the money.
The trial was subsequently adjourned until October 20, 2026, for the adoption of final addresses, while Emefiele’s defence team indicated it would file a no-case submission.
