A group under the auspices of Concerned Citizens Of Conscience (CCC) has written to the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) demanding the immediate arrest and extradition of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, to Nigeria to face prosecution over alleged terrorism sponsorship charges.

The group in a letter dated December, 23, 2022, which also copied the Director-General of Department of State Services (DSS), Inspector-General of Police, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), US Ambassador to Nigeria, British High Commissioner, Canadian Ambassador and the European Union Commission, Abuja, requested the international police to arrest and extradite Emefiele who it said is “currently hiding in the United States of America in his bid to abscond from facing the wrath of the law in Nigeria.”

In the letter which was signed by the President of the CCC, Samuel O. Ojonugwa, the group alleged that Emefiele had committed serious infractions that put Nigeria’s economy under severe strain.

The group also accused Emefiele of “covertly funding the activities of terrorist groups in the country through round tripping of the forex regime in the country.”

The group also alleged that Emefiele was nothing but a politician who “expended billions from the CBN’s vaults to pursue his selfish presidential ambition in 2022.”

The letter entitled, ‘A Passionate plea for the immediate arrest of Mr Godwin Emefiele’ read in part:

“With deep concern for Nigeria, we write to you demanding the immediate arrest of Mr Godwin Emefiele, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

“Mr Godwin Emefiele, as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, has committed infractions that put the country’s economy under severe strain. We also have it on good authority that Mr Godwin Emefiele has been covertly funding the activities of terrorist groups in the country through round tripping of the forex regime in the country.

“Under Emefiele’s watch, the naira has constantly lost value, further running the Nigerian economy aground. It is worrisome why a supposed economic expert cannot deliver on the dictates and responsibilities of his office, upon which the survival of the Nigerian state largely depends.

“Mr Godwin Emefiele took his political interest and ambition to another level when his presidential campaign posters filtered every nook and cranny of Abuja earlier this year (2022).

“Mr Godwin Emefiele denied his presidential bid when concerns were raised. After his denial, the CBN Governor approached an Abuja High Court to be allowed to contest the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary election while retaining his appointment.

“At a time when the country is facing severe inflation and economic meltdown, Mr Godwin Emefiele, who has been unable to manage the Nigerian economy and not stabilize the naira to be in relative competition with other leading currencies of the world, coughed out a whopping 100 million naira and purchased the APC Presidential Expression form of interest.

“Other corruption charges against Mr Godwin Emefiele include diverting 89 trillion naira in stamp duty fraud. The CBN Governor is the chief conspirator. We need to understand why the man supposed to be responsible for fixing the Nigerian economy was instead ruining the economy.

“This is Nigeria’s biggest financial scam and should not be swept under the carpet. Mr Godwin Emefiele…. has milked Nigeria dry and has committed many crimes against the Nigerian state. We, therefore, call for his immediate arrest and prosecution with further delay.

“In another instance, the naira redesign by the CBN Governor is another scam and financial looting against the Nigerian state. While the intention is good, the process is fraudulent.

“Hence, the money budgeted for redesigning the naira is way above the expected gains from the exercise”.

The group further alleged that “the bulk of the money ended up in the coffers of Mr Godwin Emefiele and his cohorts” and that “Following all of the above, it is unarguable that Mr Godwin Emefiele is nothing but a criminal who was determined to ensure the collapse of the Nigerian economy and supervise Nigeria’s looting to last.

“Mr Godwin Emefiele has also single-handedly approved and supervised the grant of loans to many of his cohorts without following the due process of loan grants by the CBN. These loan grants, as granted by this impostor, Mr Emefiele, were part of the strategy of diverting Nigeria’s funds while many sectors of the economy suffered low funding.

“On this note, we, Concerned Citizens of Conscience, write to demand the immediate arrest and prosecution of Mr Godwin Emefiele, who, while a fugitive in the United States of America, is purportedly acting as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

“Sir, it might interest you to know that Nigeria’s secret police, the Department of State Security, has applied to an Abuja Federal High Court to be issued a warrant for the arrest of Mr Godwin Emefiele over his involvement in financial terrorism against Nigeria.

“Aware of his actions and crimes against the Nigerian state, Mr Godwin Emefiele has travelled to hide in the United States of America (USA) in his bid to abscond from facing the wrath of the law.

“We have confidence in the capacity of your office to arrest and extradite Mr Godwin Emefiele to answer for his crimes. While we anticipate a favourable response, please accept the assurances of our highest regards”.

A