A witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has told a Lagos court that Godwin Emefiele, former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), allegedly received $17.1 million in cash between 2020 and 2023 through a close associate.
Testifying before Justice Rahman Oshodi at the Special Offences Court in Ikeja on Tuesday, EFCC operative Alvan Gurumnaan said the funds were delivered periodically and handed to Henry Omoile, an associate of Emefiele, at the ex-CBN governor’s Ikoyi residence.
Emefiele and Omoile are currently facing a 19-count charge involving alleged corrupt demands and gratification amounting to $4.5 billion and ₦2.8 billion.
Dispatch Rider Uncovered the Money Trail
Led in evidence by EFCC counsel Rotimi Oyedepo, Gurumnaan detailed how the scheme was uncovered through the testimony of Monday Osazuwa, a dispatch rider who earlier appeared as the prosecution’s first witness.
According to Gurumnaan, Osazuwa received instructions directly from Emefiele to contact a man named Mohit in London. Mohit then connected Osazuwa with another individual who delivered large sums of cash to him over a three-year period.
“From September 2020 to 2023, Osazuwa received a total of $17.1 million in cash on behalf of Emefiele,” the EFCC operative said.
“He then delivered the money to Henry Omoile, as instructed, at Emefiele’s residence in Ikoyi.”
He also noted that the cash deliveries were mostly done on Fridays, and WhatsApp messages recovered from a phone connected to the case confirmed details of the transactions. Permission was obtained to access the device, and the messages were printed and sent to another EFCC officer, Musa Idi.
Global Search for Key Witness
Gurumnaan, who has been with the EFCC’s Special Investigation Department since 2008, said several petitions were filed against Emefiele, prompting the commission to write to institutions such as the CBN, Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Department of Legal Services, and Financial Market Dealers Quotations for supporting documents.
He added that multiple individuals close to Emefiele, including John Adetola, John Ogah, and a key figure named Eric Udoh, were interviewed.
“Eric Udoh was repeatedly mentioned, but we couldn’t track him down,” Gurumnaan told the court.
“There’s a report linking him to the Dominican Republic, Canada, and the UK. He is now wanted globally and has been placed on Interpol Red Notice.”
The court has adjourned the case to October 7 and 8, 2025, for the continuation of the trial.
