EFCC witness tells court docket $6.23m was withdrawn utilizing cast paperwork beneath Emefiele
A witness within the trial of former Central {Bank} of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele on Thursday advised a Federal Capital Territory Excessive Courtroom in Abuja that $6.23 million was withdrawn from the CBN’s Garki Department utilizing cast paperwork.
The disclosure was contained in an announcement issued by the {Economic} and {Financial} Crimes Fee (EFCC) on Thursday, January 29, 2026.
In response to the witness, the cash was allegedly meant for election-related bills, together with funds to election observers, however the withdrawal was processed by fraudulent approvals.
In response to the assertion, Bashirudden Muhammed Maishanu, an Assistant Director at CBN and the eleventh prosecution witness (PW11), advised the court docket that he was approached in January 2023 by a person named Alhaji Ahmed.
Ahmed claimed to have obtained presidential approval for the money withdrawal.
“The Eleventh Prosecution Witness, PW11, Bashirudden Muhammed Maishanu within the trial of former Governor of Central {Bank} of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, on Thursday, January 29, 2026, advised Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory Excessive Courtroom, Abuja, that the sum of $6,230,000.00 (Six Million, Two Hundred and Thirty Thousand United States {Dollars}) was withdrawn from the Garki Department of the Apex {Bank} on February 8, 2023 by cast papers for alleged election observers and logistics,” the assertion learn partially.
In response to the EFCC assertion, the witness stated he was requested to advocate somebody to gather the cash, as he couldn’t go personally. His pal later collected the $6.23 million from the Garki Department, after which $2.5 million was left with him and two others.
He reportedly stated the {bank} applies sanctions starting from warnings and demotion to dismissal for erring workers, relying on the character and gravity of the offence, and famous that he himself didn’t face any disciplinary motion in relation to the matter.
The trial is ongoing, with the court docket scheduled to proceed proceedings on Friday, January 30, 2026, because it examines the involvement of Emefiele and others within the alleged fraudulent withdrawal.
In June 2023, the Division of State Providers confirmed that Godwin Emefiele, former CBN Governor beneath the Buhari administration, was in its custody, hours after initially denying his arrest.
His suspension adopted a directive by President Bola Tinubu, who ordered him handy over to the Deputy Governor (Operations), Folashodun Adebisi Shonubi, pending investigations and {financial} sector reforms.
Former CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele has spent over three years going through authorized instances over alleged fraud throughout his tenure, together with the illegal acquisition of property and enormous sums of cash.
In Could 2025, {bank} representatives have been listed as witnesses within the EFCC case, which includes N7.8 billion and 753 housing items at Plot 109, Lokogoma District, FCT.
In February 2025, a Lagos Federal Excessive Courtroom ordered the forfeiture of $4.7 million, N830 million, and different properties linked to Emefiele, together with $900,000 traced to his relative, Anita Pleasure Omoile.