LAGOS, Nigeria – An investigator with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Assistant Commandant Alvan Gurumnaan, has testified before the Lagos Special Offences Court in the ongoing trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele.
Appearing before Justice Rahman Oshodi, Gurumnaan told the court that a total of $17.1 million was allegedly received over three years by one of Emefiele’s aides, Mr. Monday Osazuwa, from a businessman Raja Punjab.
The investigator claimed the funds were collected in cash from a businessman, Raja Punjab, at a location in Victoria Island, Lagos, between September 2020 and June 2023.
According to Gurumnaan, Osazuwa reportedly delivered the funds in tranches to Mr. Emefiele’s residence in Ikoyi, Lagos.
He further testified that some amounts were allegedly handed to another individual, Mr. Henry Omoile, purportedly on the former CBN governor’s instructions.
The EFCC’s findings, Gurumnaan said, stemmed from an intelligence-led investigation into alleged procurement irregularities and abuse of office during Emefiele’s tenure.
As part of the probe, the EFCC reviewed documents and interviewed staff from key CBN departments, including Financial Markets, Trade and Exchange, Legal, Banking Supervision, and Currency Operations.
Another name that reportedly emerged during the investigation was Mr. Eric Odoh, described as Emefiele’s former personal assistant. Gurumnaan told the court that efforts to invite Odoh for questioning were unsuccessful, as he was believed to have left the country.
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He was reportedly traced to multiple foreign jurisdictions, including the United Kingdom and Canada.
Also testifying was Mr. John Adetola, who served as Emefiele’s executive assistant. He told the court he once received $400,000 on the former CBN governor’s behalf from a Mr. John Ayoh in 2018, based on a WhatsApp instruction he said he received from Odoh.
During cross-examination by defense counsel Mr. Olalekan Ojo (SAN), Adetola admitted that the transaction was not documented, and that he had no record of the message or any supporting evidence.
He confirmed he was not facing prosecution and had not entered any agreement with the EFCC regarding his testimony.
Adetola, the seventh prosecution witness, also disclosed that he spent 11 days in EFCC custody during the course of the investigation, but was not confronted directly with Emefiele or Ayoh.
Mr. Emefiele and his co-defendant, Mr. Henry Omoile, are facing a 26-count charge relating to alleged abuse of office and financial misconduct, involving sums of approximately $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion.
Justice Oshodi adjourned further proceedings to October 7, 8, and 9, 2025.
