On Thursday, July 2, 2026, at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja, Nigeria, Mr Okpoziakpo Eloho, a witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), told the court that former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Godwin Emefiele, did not benefit from the alleged $6.2 million diverted from the apex bank, in the ongoing proceedings concerning the Emefiele $6.2m CBN funds case.
Mr Eloho, who is a Commissioner of Police attached to the Fraud Unit of the Force Headquarters in Abuja, made the disclosure during cross-examination by Mr Mathew Burka, SAN, counsel to the defendant.
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The testimony formed part of ongoing arguments in a case that has drawn significant public attention due to the scale of the alleged financial misappropriation.
According to Mr Eloho, there was no evidence before the investigation team linking Mr Emefiele to any personal benefit from the funds in question.
He told the court that the former CBN governor consistently denied authorising or approving the release of the money to any individual or group.
The witness stated that during an interview conducted on December 13, 2023, at the Kuje Correctional Centre, Mr Emefiele was confronted with allegations regarding the $6.2 million, including claims of approval and authorisation for its disbursement.
However, he maintained that the defendant denied signing any approval documents or issuing any directive for the release of the funds.
Mr Eloho further told the court that Mr Emefiele also denied receiving any communication from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation relating to the alleged transactions.
He added that the signatures appearing on the disputed documents were also rejected by the defendant as not belonging to him.
“The defendant denied that he signed for the approval or release of the money. He also denied receiving any letter from the SGF. He further stated that the signature on the documents was not his,” Mr Eloho said in court.
The EFCC witness also clarified that, based on the investigation conducted, there was no established link showing that Mr Emefiele personally benefited from the alleged diversion of funds.
His testimony is expected to form part of the broader evidentiary assessment as the court continues hearing the case.
The matter, which continues to attract nationwide attention, is part of a wider probe into alleged financial irregularities involving foreign exchange interventions and public funds during Mr Emefiele’s tenure as CBN governor.
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The court adjourned proceedings for continuation at a later date as both prosecution and defence teams prepare further submissions.
Quadri Olaitan is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
