The Federal Ministry of Finance was not aware of the withdrawal of N124.86 billion from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), a Director in the ministry, Ali Mohammed, told the Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, yesterday.
Mohammed, who testified as the 10th prosecution witness (PW10) in the ongoing trial of former CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, made the disclosure while being led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Abbas Mohammed.
The witness told Justice Maryanne Anineh that the ministry received a letter from an investigation team concerning N154 billion allegedly withdrawn by the CBN, prompting him to make inquiries across the departments under his supervision.
He said none of the three divisions in the Department of Home Finance was aware of the transaction.
Explaining his role, Mohammed said the department comprises the State and Public Finance Division, Trade Division, and Banking and Other Financial Institutions Division, all of which are under his supervision.
According to him, the State and Public Finance Investment Division was particularly relevant because it oversees the CBN.
He said after receiving the investigator’s letter, he contacted the three divisions to establish whether they had knowledge of the transaction.
“None of the three divisions was privy to the transaction,” he told the court.
Mohammed further explained that he subsequently wrote, through the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) to ascertain whether the office was aware of the transaction.
He said the OAGF responded that it was not aware of the withdrawal and indicated that the money represented a direct credit from the CBN.
The witness told the court that he relied on the Accountant-General’s response in preparing his reply to the Special Investigator.
“I responded via a memo of what has transpired between my office and that of the AGF and sought for clearance for such document to be forwarded to the Special Investigator. Subsequently, the letter was forwarded,” he said.
The prosecution tendered the relevant documents, including a letter signed by Mohammed and another signed by the Accountant-General of the Federation.
Defence counsel, Olalekan Ojo, SAN, did not object to their admission.
Justice Anineh subsequently admitted the documents and marked them Exhibits AJ, AK and AL.
While explaining Exhibit AJ, Mohammed said the document established that the Federal Ministry of Finance was not aware of the N124.86 billion withdrawal.
He also explained Exhibit AL as confirmation from the OAGF that it had no knowledge of the transaction.
Reading from Exhibit AJ, the witness said the amount was classified in the ministry’s records as a “direct debit letter” by the CBN.
Explaining the phrase, Mohammed said: “Direct debit means it was withdrawn from the Central Bank of Nigeria without recourse of any office in Nigeria. That is what it means.”
He added that, ordinarily, the OAGF would be directed before any withdrawal was made, particularly where the Consolidated Revenue Fund was involved.
According to him, the document did not show that the Ministry of Finance had directed the OAGF to make the withdrawal.
Earlier, prosecution witness nine (PW9), Hamisu Abdullahi, Director of Banking Services at the CBN, continued his testimony.
The prosecution referred him to an email he had mentioned during cross-examination on May 4, 2026, and asked whether he could recall the document.
Abdullahi said the email was generated from the CBN’s computer system, certified as a true copy, signed and accompanied by a certificate of compliance.
He told the court that the email conveyed a directive from the then CBN Governor to recover N1.4 billion debited from a receivables account from the Consolidated Revenue Fund.
The witness identified the document when it was shown to him.
The prosecution subsequently tendered the email and accompanying certificate. Ojo, SAN, raised no objection.
Justice Anineh admitted the documents and marked them Exhibits AH1 and AH2.
Following the conclusion of PW9’s testimony, he was discharged from the witness box.
The judge thereafter adjourned the case until October 7, 2026, for cross-examination and continuation of the trial.
Emefiele is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a four-count charge bordering on alleged disobedience to lawful directives and alleged unlawful acts connected with the controversial naira redesign policy introduced during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
