Who Forged Buhari’s Signature To Withdraw $6.2m From CBN?

Who forged former president, Muhammadu Buhari’s Signature to withdraw $6.2m From the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)?

This is the big question in the air, amidst the ongoing trial of the former governor of the CBN, Mr Godwin Emefiele.

That question reverberated at the Abuja High Court sitting in the Maitama area where that trial is taking place.

Immediate past Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Mr. Boss Mustapha, appeared as a fourth prosecution witness, PW-4 in the case yesterday.

While testifying before the court as, Mustapha, alleged that both his signature and that of former President Muhammadu Buhari, were forged by those that withdrew $6,230,000 from the CBN on February 8, 2023.

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According to him, not were there signature forgeries, the withdrawal was without his knowledge and participation, and that not even the Presidency was privy.

Mustapha told the court that it was not the business of the federal government or the office of the SGF to request funds from the CBN for the payment of foreign election observers.

According to him, the responsibility of relating with such observers was solely that of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Though an official of the apex bank, Mr. Onyeka Ogbu, had earlier testified to the court that the money was withdrawn and handed in cash to an official from the office of the SGF, named Jibril Abubakar, there was still need for clarity as to who forged Buhari’s signature to effect the withdraw.

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“It was claimed that Buhari also signed, but on the face value of this document, having served for five years and seven months as SGF, this document did not emanate from the president for the following reasons”, Mustapha said in defence.

According to him, “A correspondent that has the seal of Nigeria does not carry a reference number. The seal is the authority.

 “Secondly, I have looked at it and read the document. Federal Executive Council, FEC, decisions are not transmitted by letters. They are transmitted through extracts after conclusions are adopted.

“Thirdly, I am the custodian of FEC, the president will not refer executives’ conclusions to me.

“Also, in all the five years and seven months I stayed in office, I never heard of the term ‘Special Appropriation Provision’, referred to me.

“The terms known to me my lord are appropriation as provided by the Appropriation Act, which is normally passed by the National Assembly. When the government file drafts, it brings Supplementary Appropriation.

“In all the correspondences I have received from Buhari, it has never had or ended with: ‘Please accept the assurance of my highest regard.’

“I am his subordinate. My correspondences do not carry that.

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“And lastly, looking at the signature, it is a failed attempt at reproducing Buhari’s signature. I will leave that to the experts,” he added.

He said the action was backed by approvals by both President Buhari and the embattled former CBN governor, Emefiele, following a request by the ex-SGF, Mustapha.

But who forged Buhari’s Signature to withdraw $6.2m? That question still hangs in the air and would possibly be answered on March 7, when trial Justice Hamza Muazu adjourned further hearing on the case to.