Pelumi Olajengbesi, human rights lawyer, has called for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to conduct a comprehensive audit of the financial activities of all officials who served under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Speaking in response to the revelations emerging from the trial of ex-governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, who faces allegations of a $6.2 million fraud, Olajengbesi commended the EFCC for uncovering the alleged forgery of Buhari’s signature and that of Boss Mustapha., the former secretary of the government federation.
Highlighting the need for accountability, Olajengbesi, the managing partner of Abuja-based law firm, Law Corridor, emphasised that the audit should extend beyond Emefiele to encompass all principal actors who served during the Buhari administration.
He cited the recent case of Ahmad Salihijo, the suspended managing director/chief executive officer of the Rural Electrification Agency, facing allegations of N1.2 billion fraud, as another instance of potential abuse of power.
Olajengbesi said, “The audacity of those in power and their criminal influence is becoming too much and must be stopped.
“The EFCC must not stop at just the former CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele but should carry out an entire audit of principal actors who served under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. There should be a deterrent for bad behaviour.
“Again, the case of the suspended Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Electrification Agency, Ahmad Salihijo over alleged N1.2bn fraud is fresh, and a pointer to the gross abuse of power by those who served under Buhari.
“Emefiele and all those who served under the Buhari administration should be properly audited and given a chance to clear their names as the corruption that manifested under that government is gargantuan.”
As the trial against Emefiele continues, three witnesses, including an EFCC official, a forensic document examiner, and ex-SGF, Mustapha, have testified against the former CBN governor. The witnesses asserted that documents used to release $6.2 million from the CBN were forged.
The charges against Emefiele include accusations of impersonating Mustapha to unlawfully move funds from the CBN vault.
