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Emefiele: Documents approving $6.2m for election observers were forged, forensic analyst tells court

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A forensic analyst has told a federal capital territory (FCT) high court in Maitama that the documents used to request the payment of $6.2 million for foreign election observers were forged.

 

Bamaiyi Meriga, the forensic analyst, said this on Thursday while giving evidence as a witness in the trial of Godwin Emefiele, former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

 

Emefiele is standing trial on a 20-count amended criminal charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

 

The amended charges border on alleged criminal breach of trust, forgery, conspiracy to commit forgery, procurement fraud and conspiracy to commit a felony.

 

In some of the counts, the EFCC alleged that Emefiele, in January 2023, forged a document titled: ‘RE: PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE ON FOREIGN ELECTION OBSERVER MISSIONS,’ dated 26 January 2023 with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/201.

 

The EFCC said Emefiele made the claim despite knowing it to be false and committed an offence contrary to section 1(1) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act.

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BACKGROUND

According to the amended charge marked CR/577/2023, Emefiele, on February 8, 2023, connived with one Odoh Ocheme, who is now on the run, to obtain $6.2 million from the CBN, claiming that the SGF requested it “vide a letter dated 26th January 2023 with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/201″.

 

At the resumed court session, the witness said after a forensic analysis of the disputed documents, he discovered that there was clear evidence of forgery of signature and that the seal of execution was different from the original.

 

He also claimed that the signatures were not those of former President Muhammadu Buhari and Boss Mustapha, former secretary to the government of the federation (SGF).

 

The two documents on ‘Presidential Directive on Foreign Observer Election’ were tendered and admitted in evidence by the court.

 

Under cross-examination by counsel for Emefiele, the witness said he was not a staff of the EFCC, and was not being paid by the anti-graft agency, but that his salary was domiciled with the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS).

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The former SGFhad said he knew nothing about the transaction even after he left office in May 2023. He said he only got to find out in December 2023 after the press published the news.

 

Mustapha said his signature and that of the former president were forged.

 

He also said the recipient of the money was not a staff of the SGF office as claimed by the CBN.

 

 

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Nigerian arrested over alleged sex crimes in US, faces deportation

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A 53-year-old Nigerian, Olatunde Olusanjo, has been arrested in Los Angeles by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) over alleged sexual offences.

According to ICE, Olusanjo was arrested on April 21, 2026, by its Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) unit and is currently in its custody pending deportation proceedings.

In a social media post by its Los Angeles office, the agency linked his arrest to prior criminal allegations, including child molestation, sexual battery and sexual solicitation.

It described Olusanjo as a “criminal alien and convicted sex offender”.

“Los Angeles ERO arrested Olatunde Abiodun Olusanjo, 53, of Nigeria, Apr. 21,” the statement reads.

“Olusanjo has previous arrests for child molestation, sexual battery and soliciting lewd conduct. He is in ICE custody pending removal.”

The arrest comes amid continued enforcement actions by US  authorities against foreign nationals with prior criminal records.

In recent years, several Nigerians have been arrested and prosecuted in the US for offences ranging from cybercrime to violent and sexual-related charges.

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In February, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said it had arrested 79 Nigerians described as among the “worst of the worst” criminal offenders.

The suspects faced allegations ranging from sexual assault, fraud, manslaughter, cocaine smuggling, kidnapping, and robbery.

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Thai Police find N67m, cocaine in Nigerian suspect’s home

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Operatives of the Thailand Police have arrested Nigerian national, Nwaiwu Ifeanyi, following the discovery of approximately 1.5 million baht (over N67 million) hidden in the ceiling of his bathroom during a late-night raid.

The operation, carried out over the weekend, also led to the arrest of three other individuals believed to be connected to the same drug distribution network.

Authorities reportedly recovered cocaine, cash, a vehicle, and valuable jewellery during the raid.

According to details from Khaosod English, investigators had been monitoring the suspect’s activities before apprehending him near Silom Soi 1. At the point of arrest, officers allegedly found about 27 grams of cocaine in his possession.

The other suspects taken into custody include a Swiss national, Thomas Giubibini, alongside two Thai nationals identified as Thanayot Asawamethi and Nattawat Wangkitjinda. All are facing charges related to drug possession.

In total, authorities said they seized roughly 30 grams of cocaine, cash amounting to 1.5 million baht, additional foreign currency worth about 15,000 baht, and jewellery estimated at 400,000 baht.

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Investigators disclosed that Ifeanyi had lived in Thailand for over 17 years under a family visa obtained through a Thai spouse. However, officials now suspect the marriage may have been arranged to facilitate his stay and operations.

Police further alleged that the suspect coordinated drug transactions through encrypted messaging platforms, which officers were able to infiltrate before making the arrests. He reportedly resisted arrest but was subdued, after which he is said to have admitted involvement in the illicit activities.

The arrest comes amid ongoing efforts by Thai authorities to clamp down on drug trafficking networks. It also follows a recent case involving another Nigerian, Ukoma Nuzbech, who was earlier arrested for allegedly evading trial in a separate drug-related case.

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NDLEA intercepts UK-bound Cocaine, Loud concealed in food flasks, snacks

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Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted cocaine concealed in food flasks bound for the United Kingdom.

According to a statement signed by the Director, Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, on Sunday, the interception took place on April 9, 2026, leading to the arrest of two cargo agents, Ama Obinna Ufeim, 33, and Ogabi Monday Akorede, 39.

The agency disclosed that 12 large parcels of cocaine weighing 2.80 kilograms were discovered hidden in the false bottom of food flasks at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos.

The illicit consignment was scheduled for shipment via a Virgin Atlantic flight to the UK.

Further investigations identified the sender as a 52-year-old freight forwarder, Agoro Tajudeen Moninuola, who was subsequently apprehended.

In a separate operation at the airport’s import shed, NDLEA officers on April 8 intercepted 2.90 kilograms of “Loud,” a potent strain of cannabis, concealed in snack food packs arriving from the United States aboard a Delta Air Lines flight.

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Two clearing agents, Animashaun Moshood Adetunji and Mercy Gabriel Oluwasegun, were initially arrested, while the consignee, 29-year-old fashion designer Saheed Adeshina Adegoke, was later nabbed at his residence in Ogba, Lagos.

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