Buhari’s Chief of Staff, Finance Minister, and Emefiele Accused of Looting Over N17.3 Trillion
In a startling revelation, a special investigator, Jim Obazee, appointed by President Bola Tinubu, has accused key figures in the previous administration, including Chief of Staff Ibrahim Gambari, Finance Minister Zainab Ahmed, and Godwin Emefiele, of mismanaging over N17.3 trillion in public funds.
The allegations stem from the misuse of the ways and means instrument of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), described by Mr. Obazee as a criminal offense that demands severe punishment under existing regulations.
According to the investigator, Ibrahim Gambari and Zainab Ahmed, who served in pivotal roles under former President Muhammadu Buhari, are implicated in a series of questionable use of ways and means that has left the country unable to account for a staggering N17.3 trillion.
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CCTV footage reportedly shows Boss Mustapha and Godwin Emefiele handling $6.2 million in cash from the CBN vault two weeks before the 2023 election, according to Anti-Graft Czar Obazee.
Mr. Obazee, in a memo to the president, asserted, “Stealing of public funds through advances to government, otherwise known as ways and means, constitutes a criminal offense.
He highlighted that the sum of N17.369 trillion remains unaccounted for, lacking due appropriation or approvals to support the diversion of public funds through this medium.
Both Ibrahim Gambari and Zainab Ahmed have been silent on the accusations. Mr. Gambari, facing his first public controversy since his son Bolaji Gambari’s reported influence peddling, declined to comment.
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Mrs. Ahmed, who served as finance minister until the end of the last administration in May, also refrained from making statements.
The special investigator called attention to nearly N23 trillion in illegal spending, suspiciously authorized to be covered through the conversion of Nigerian assets by the National Assembly.
He emphasized that the exploitation of ways and means constitutes a criminal offense, urging the Supreme Court to nullify the approval given by the 9th National Assembly.
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President Bola Tinubu has not yet commented on the findings of the special investigator, whose report marks the first from his office since his appointment in July to scrutinize years of corruption at the central bank and other federal institutions.
While the probe has drawn criticism from some experts, including former CBN deputy governor Kingsley Moghalu, who expressed concern about its impact on potential foreign investors, supporters of the administration argue that holding individuals accountable for corruption boosts confidence in the Nigerian economy.
