N6.9bn Procurement Fraud: FG Arraigns Emefiele, Allies Thursday

The Federal Government will arraign suspended Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele and his associates before Abuja’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court on Thursday for N6.9 billion procurement fraud.

The controversial central bank president will face 20 counts of procurement fraud, conspiracy, and offering corrupt advantages to his collaborators, including a female CBN employee named Sa’adatu Yaro and her company, April 1616 Investment Limited.

He has been arrested since his resignation on June 9, 2023. He is suspected of corruptly providing incentives to Yaro, a director of April 1616 Investment Ltd.

The offence is contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.

The section read, “Any public officer who uses his office or position to gratify or confer any corrupt or unfair advantage upon himself or any relation or associate of the public officer or any other public officer shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be liable to imprisonment for five years without an option of fine.”

According to the charges signed by the Federal Ministry of Justice’s Director of Public Prosecutions, Mohammed Abubakar; Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Mrs. Nkiru Jones-Nebo, and eight other ministry officials, the three accused persons purchased a fleet of over 98 exotic vehicles and armored buses worth approximately N6.9 billion.

Between 2018 and 2020, 84 Toyota Hilux vehicles, ten armored Mercedes Benz buses, three Toyota Landcruisers, and one Toyota Avalon car were purchased.

It stated “That you, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, male, adult, sometime in 2018 within the jurisdiction of this honorable court did use your position as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria to confer a corrupt advantage on Sa’adatu Ramallan Yaro, a staff member of the Central Bank of Nigeria by awarding a contract for the supply of 37 (Nos.) Toyota Hilux Vehicles at the cost of N854,700,000 only to April 1616 Investment Ltd, a company in which she is a director, and thereby committed an offense.

“Statement of the offence: Conferring corrupt advantage contrary to section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.’’

The Federal Government further accused Emefiele of conspiracy to confer corrupt advantage on the second defendant contrary to sections 26 (c) and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 and punishable under Section 19 of the same Act.

“That you, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, male, adult, Sa’adatu Ramallan Yaro, female, adult, and April 1616 Investment Ltd, sometime in 2019 within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did conspire amongst yourselves to use the office of Mr. Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria to confer a corrupt advantage on Sa’adatu Ramallan Yaro, a staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria by awarding a contract for the supply of 1 (No.) Toyota Landcruiser V8 at the cost of N73,800,000 only to April 1616 Investment Ltd,” the charge stated.

Emefiele was also accused of giving Yaro a fraudulent benefit by awarding her business, April 1616 Investment Ltd., a contract for the supply of one Toyota Avalon for N99.9m in 2019.

In 2018, the suspended governor was also accused of issuing a contract to the third defendant for the provision of another Toyota Landcruiser V8 for N77.050m.

The ex-CBN governor was said to have conspired with Yaro to give the CBN employee fraudulent benefits by giving her a contract for the delivery of two Toyota Hilux Shell standard vehicles for N44.2m sometime in 2020.

Emefiele was also accused of defrauding Yaro by awarding her company, April 1616 Investment Ltd., a contract for the supply of one Toyota Avalon for N99.9 million in 2019.

In 2018, the suspended governor was additionally charged with awarding a contract to the third defendant for the supply of another Toyota Landcruiser V8 for N77.050 million.

The ex-CBN governor was accused of conspiring with Yaro to provide the CBN employee with fraudulent advantages by awarding her a contract for the supply of two Toyota Hilux Shell standard vehicles for N44.2 million sometime in 2020.

Other counts read, “That you, Sa’adatu Rammala Yaro, female, adult, sometime in 2018 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court while being employed at the CBN knowingly held directly a private interest as a director in April1616 Investment Ltd., in a contract awarded to the said company, for the supply of 47 Toyota Hilux vehicles at the cost of N1,085, 700,000 and thereby committed an offence.

“That you, Sa’adatu Rammala Yaro, female, adult, sometime in 2018 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court while being employed at the CBN knowingly held directly a private interest as director in April1616 Investment Ltd., in a contract awarded to the said company, emanating from the CBN where you are employed, for the supply of 10 Mercedes Benz armored buses at the cost of N2,222, 500,00 and thereby committed an offence.”

Listed as witnesses against the defendants were the CBN Director of Procurement, Stanley Alvan; CBN Head of Procurement, Mike Agboro, Tahir Jafar, and David Usman.