A Group, under the aegis of Nigeria Young Professional Forum, U.S/Caribbean, has petitioned the US Congress over corruption and looting of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) by the governor of CBN,
Godwin Emefiele and others.In the petition letter signed by Jackson Ude, Coordinator, NYPF, U.S/Caribbean, dated June 2, 2020 to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Leader Mitch McConnell, Leader Kevin McCarthy, and Leader Chuck Schumer, the group called for a special congressional hearing, investigation, and sanctions of the alleged looters.
The letters which were also copied to the U.S. State Department, Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation and FBI appealed to the US Congress to convene a Special Congressional Hearing on Corruption in Nigeria and the Central Bank of Nigeria under President Mohammadu Buhari
The petition also urged the U.S Government to: “Place Godwin Emefiele, Abubakar Malami, Nasir Danu, Babagana Kingibe, Samaila Isa Funtua, Abubakar Isa Funtua and all those linked with the corruption in CBN and others on the watchlist.
“Invoke the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLATs) with Nigeria and obtain banking and other financial records on the dealings involving Emefiele, Bulet International owned by Samaila Isa Funtua and Abubakar Isa Funtua;
“Invoke the Global Magnistky Act and Place Visa restrictions on Godwin Emefiele, Abubakar Malami, Ismaila Isa Funtua, Abubakar Isa Funtua, Mamman Daura, Lawan Daura, Babagana Kingibe and Nasir Danu and others linked to the corruption in CBN.”
The petition reads:
June 2, 2020
U.S Congress
Dear Speaker Pelosi, Leader McConnell, Leader McCarthy, Leader Schumer:
CORRUPTION, LOOTING IN CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA: A CALL FOR A SPECIAL
CONGRESSIONAL HEARING, INVESTIGATION, SANCTIONS ON GODWIN EMEFIELE AND
OTHERS
We wish to bring your attention to the wanton looting, brazen stealing and corruption being perpetrated by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, and members of the inner circle of President Mohammadu Buhari otherwise called the Cabal. You may wish to recall that President Buhari came to power in 2015 with a pledge to tackle corruption. But no successful prosecutions have happened, and he appears to condone and shield his friends and family members tainted by serious allegations of financial fraud.
Recall also that earlier this year, Transparency International, TI, Corruption Perception Index, perceived Nigeria as one of Africa’s most corrupt countries. Nigeria was ranked 146 out of 180 Countries surveyed worldwide -a slap in the face of President Buhari’s dubious anti-corruption mantra.
The activities of CBN Governor Emefiele have, in no small measure, contributed and continue to contribute to Nigeria’s dubious fight against corruption and further weakened the country’s economy — which largely depends on oil exports and foreign grants.
Between 2015 and 2016, under Emefiele’s watch, CBN conspired with Nigeria’s oil corporation, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to illegally divert $24,263,008.56 meant to be shared to 37 .states and 774 local councils.
In a leaked tape obtained by Saharareporters.com, one of Nigeria’s leading Investigative news websites, Emefiele and some officials of the CBN were caught discussing how to cover up the loss of over N500bn (an equivalent of $1.2billion) stolen from the CBN in a private investment that failed. Till date, no one, including Emefiele, has been held accountable.
In a most bizarre manner, the CBN allegedly awarded a contract for the expansion of its parking lot to Bulet International Limited, a company owned by Ismaila Isa Funtua, an ally and confidant of President Mohammadu Buhari at a whopping N30 billion (the equivalent of $77.5million) in 2019. No parking lot extension contract cost that much in the United States.
The contract, which violated Nigeria’s procurement laws, was secretly awarded to Bulet International. No investigation and prosecution have
happened despite numerous media reports.
Emefiele has been running the CBN with top members of the Buhari cabal
led by Isa Funtua, the owner of Bulet Construction Company and the
recently deceased Chief of Staff to President Buhari, Abba Kyari,
Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Abubakar Malami, Mamman
Daura, Lawan Daura, Babagana Kingibe, Nasir Danu and few others who are
all from the Northern part of Nigeria.
What is even more shocking is that Isa Funtua and the cabal have been
running a black-market forex cartel worth $800m every week since the
beginning of the Buhari administration in 2015. This continued until
late 2017 when the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo scaled it down it to
$500m when the President was away for medicals.
We were reliably informed that a large portion of the funds stolen
through the CBN Governor end up in the coffers of Boko Haram terrorists,
armed bandits, and Fulani Jihadists currently ravaging Northern Nigeria.
Almost a hundred percent of the 7,400 murders by Jihadist Fulani
Herdsmen since June 2015 were Christians. Fulani militias wipe out
whole Christian villages.
Reliable statistics also show that between 11,500 and 12,000 Christians
have been massacred since June 2015 when Buhari assumed the Presidency
of Nigeria. These statistics are based on careful records kept by church
groups that document the names of victims and dates of their murders.
It is our belief that the influx of illicit funds in the hands of the
Buhari cabal which end up in the hands of promoters of Boko Haram and
armed bandits, is responsible for the spike in attacks on innocent
Nigerians by these terrorist groups.
Emefiele and his group of corrupt elements in Nigeria have not only
fueled terrorism, but have also encouraged human rights abuses, putting
funds in the hands of politicians and cronies who have consistently
abused the rights of citizens.
The ripple effect and danger of these inhuman act caused by the major
Financial Actors in Nigeria has it’s negative implications to the
international community with the worrisome increase in irregular
migration, regional insecurity, growing rate of cybercrime, organized
kidnapping of vulnerable citizens, economic instability, youth
unemployment and lack of proper identity management system.
Nigeria, as the most populous black Nation in the world will continue to
keep the stronger nations like the U.S and European countries busy with
negative vices, if these issues of corruption are not deliberately dealt
with, with serious sanctions and immigration restrictions.
Our Demands:
- Convene a Special Congressional Hearing on Corruption in Nigeria
and the Central Bank of Nigeria under President Mohammadu Buhari;
- Place Godwin Emefiele, Abubakar Malami, Nasir Danu, Babagana
Kingibe, Samaila Isa Funtua, Abubakar Isa Funtua and all those linked
with the corruption in CBN and on the U.S watchlist;
- Invoke the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLATs) with Nigeria
and obtain banking and other financial records on the dealings involving
Emefiele, Bulet International owned by Samaila Isa Funtua and Abubakar
Isa Funtua;
- Invoke the Global Magnistky Act and Place Visa restrictions on
Godwin Emefiele, Abubakar Malami, Ismaila Isa Funtua, Abubakar Isa
Funtua, Mamman Daura, Lawan Daura, Babagana Kingibe and Nasir Danu,
their families and others linked with the corruption in CBN.
We are prepared to testify under oath in Congress and provide all
necessary documents to aid the speedy investigations of all the claims
listed.
The Nigeria Young Professional Forum, U.S/Caribbean for which I lead is
willing to use all legal means necessary in bringing an end to
corruption in Nigeria to give her young population a new lease of life
for a better future. We will not hesitate to approach the courts in the
U.S in this regard.
Sincerely,
Jackson Ude
Coordinator, NYPF, U.S/Caribbean
Cc: U.S. State Department
Cc: Department of Justice
Cc: Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI
Cc: Central Intelligence Agency, CIA
