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By Daniel Adaji
A prosecution witness on Friday told the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja that $2.045 million in cash and several property title documents recovered from the lawyer of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, belonged to the ex-apex bank chief.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) disclosed this in a statement signed by its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, on Friday.
Testifying in the ongoing trial of Emefiele, the 12th prosecution witness, David Oyesina Jaiyeoba, said the cash and documents were recovered from one Mr. Collins Omeife, identified as the defendant’s lawyer. The court is presided over by Justice Hamza Muazu.
Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel and Director of Public Prosecution, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Rotimi Oyedepo, Jaiyeoba, an investigation officer with the EFCC, said investigations into the defendant were triggered by a report sent to the Commission by the Inter-Agency Task Force, headed by the Directorate of State Services (DSS).
“Several individuals, companies and government agencies were invited and interviewed and several findings were made,” he told the court, adding that a large volume of assets and cash were recovered during the investigation and have since been forfeited to the Federal Government.
According to the witness, the funds were traced to the former CBN governor through his personal assistant.
“Two million dollars was discovered to have come from one Eric Ocheme Odo. The said Eric was PA (Personal Assistant) to the defendant during his tenure as governor of CBN.
“It was confirmed by the person who kept the over $2,0450,000, who happens to be the lawyer of the defendant, that the cash we found in his possession was the property of the defendant. We found property documents and he also confirmed that the property belonged to the defendant,” he said.
Providing further details, Jaiyeoba told the court: “My lord, funds amounting to $2,045,000.00 alongside several property title documents were recovered from Zenith Bank Plc Headquarters in Lagos in the possession of one Mr. Collins Omeife, lawyer to the defendant. In the course of our investigations on Collins, it was discovered that Mr. Collins Omeife had been acquiring and perfecting title documents on the instruction of the defendant.”
The witness added that Omeife disclosed during interrogation that Emefiele routinely gave him cash, including foreign currency, for the acquisition of properties. He said the funds were often delivered by the defendant’s personal assistant, Eric Ocheme Odoh, and that part of the money was also used to renovate some of the defendant’s older properties.
Jaiyeoba added that the ownership of the assets was confirmed by Emefiele himself when he appeared to show cause why the assets should not be forfeited to the Federal Government.
Beyond the recovered cash and properties, the witness said the defendant also approved payments to companies linked to his family. He told the court that Emefiele approved contracts for several firms, including Architekon Nigeria Limited, promoted by his brother-in-law, MacCombo Omoile, and his wife, Margaret Omoile.
According to him, “Exhibit A1 is an internal memorandum of the CBN, showing approval for the payment of the CBN governor’s residential house in Ikoyi Lagos,” while “Exhibit A2 is a contract document for the landscaping of the governor’s residence by Architekon Nigeria Ltd.”
He also told the court that “Exhibit A5 is an internal memo of the CBN, requesting for approval to pay the sum of N97,908,416.38 (Ninety Seven Million, Nine Hundred and Eight Thousand, Four Hundred and Sixteen Thousand, Thirty Eight Kobo) to Architekon Nig Ltd for the supply of office furniture to the CBN,” which he said was approved by the defendant. He added that “Exhibit A8, is another internal memo of the CBN, a contract for the provision of dedicated power in the CBN governor’s residence, with an interim certificate, approved by the defendant.”
The witness said correspondence existed between the EFCC and Zenith Bank Plc regarding the defendant’s accounts. He explained that Exhibits ED1, ED2 and ED3 were responses from the bank to EFCC’s request, adding: “Exhibit ED3 is a debit entry on the account of the defendant to the account no 2020000064, amounting to N4 million which was paid to Architekon Nigeria Ltd.”
The case was adjournedto March 5, 16 and 17, 2026, for the continuation of trial.
Emefiele, who served as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria from 2014 to 2023 under the administration of late President Muhammadu Buhari, was suspended and later removed following the assumption of office by President Bola Tinubu. After his removal, the EFCC initiated multiple investigations into his tenure at the apex bank, leading to several criminal charges.
The anti-graft agency is prosecuting the former CBN governor on an amended 20-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, forgery, obtaining by false pretence, conspiracy to commit forgery, procurement fraud and conspiracy to commit felony before Justice Muazu.