A Commissioner of Police, Eloho E. Ekpoziakpo, on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, told a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, that investigations into the alleged fraudulent withdrawal of $6.23 million from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) revealed that the payment was made with the approval of former CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
Ekpoziakpo, who testified as Prosecution Witness 14 (PW14) before Justice Hamza Mu’azu, made the disclosure while giving evidence in the ongoing trial of Emefiele on an amended 20-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, forgery, abuse of office, and conspiracy to obtain by false pretence.
The witness, a Commissioner of Police in charge of the Special Fraud Unit, Lagos, said he previously served at the Force Intelligence Department, where his duties included intelligence gathering on economic sabotage, terrorism financing, and related offences.
Led in evidence by prosecuting counsel Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, the witness told the court that he participated in the interrogation of the defendant alongside Jim Obazee, the Special Investigator who led the probe.
“In the course of the investigation, we received intelligence that $6.23 million was fraudulently withdrawn from the CBN branch in Abuja with the governor’s approval while the defendant was in office. We investigated the matter, which led to his interrogation,” he said.
Ekpoziakpo further stated that investigations revealed the funds were fraudulently obtained, adding that some suspects interrogated during the probe confessed, while the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) denied requesting any funds for foreign election observers.
The witness also identified a document said to have emanated from the SGF and purportedly conveying the approval of former President Muhammadu Buhari for the payment.
Explaining Exhibit PD6, he said it was a letter forwarding the President’s approval from the SGF to the CBN for the payment of $6.23 million to foreign election observers, dated January 26, 2023.
He added that the document was addressed to Emefiele in his capacity as CBN Governor.
“Our findings showed that the request was honoured. It was processed and the money was paid. We recovered the document from the CBN branch where the cash withdrawal was made,” he said.
The witness also identified Exhibit PD1 as the record detailing the payment of $6.23 million in cash on February 8, 2023.
He further described Exhibit PD2 as a memo from the Director of Banking Services, CBN Abuja, conveying approval and instructing that the sum be paid.
At that point, defence counsel, Matthew Burkaa, SAN, raised an objection under Section 128 of the Evidence Act, arguing that the witness could not give oral evidence on documents supplied by the prosecution.
In response, Oyedepo, SAN, argued that the documents had already been admitted in evidence and that the witness was entitled to explain them.
“With respect, my Lord, we have a duty to discharge, and I urge my learned friend to allow us do so properly. Section 128 does not preclude a witness from giving oral evidence explaining documents already before the court,” he said.
In his ruling, Justice Mu’azu held that since the documents had already been admitted, the witness could be questioned on them but could not testify as to their detailed contents.
Earlier in his testimony, the witness identified the defendant and confirmed that he knew Jim Obazee, whom he described as a Special Investigator appointed by the President to probe the CBN.
According to him, Obazee requested the deployment of police officers from the Nigeria Police Force to assist in the investigation.
“As the officer who led the team, I assisted in taking statements, interrogating persons found to be complicit, and providing intelligence to support the investigation,” he said.
Justice Mu’azu thereafter adjourned the matter until July 2 and 3, 2026, for continuation of trial.
Dele Oyewale
Head, Media & Publicity
April 28, 2026
