Court summons Obazee, Police Commissioner in Emefiele’s $6.23m fraud trial

Hamza Muazu, Justice of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, has summoned Jim Obazee, former chief executive officer of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria, and Eloho Okpoziakpo, a commissioner of Police, to appear as prosecution witnesses in the ongoing trial of Godwin Emefiele, former Central Bank Governor.

The order, issued on Monday, directs both witnesses to appear before the court at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday and to continue attending proceedings “from day to day” until the conclusion of the case.

Emefiele is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on an amended 20-count charge bordering on alleged criminal breach of trust, forgery, abuse of office, and conspiracy to obtain money by false pretence amounting to $6.23 million.

Read also: $6.23m was withdrawn from CBN vault for fake election observers during Emefiele’s tenure – EFCC witness tells court

According to the subpoena dated April 27, 2026, Muazu directed Obazee and Okpoziakpo to tender newspaper publications relating to the controversial naira redesign policy introduced during Emefiele’s tenure at the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The court noted that both witnesses were involved in investigations leading to the charges against the former apex bank chief and are expected to provide explanations linked to the publications.

The subpoena, issued in suit number CR/577/2023 between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Emefiele, stated that the charges against the defendant emanated from investigations conducted by the summoned witnesses.