Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has declared wife of embattled former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, wanted.
The woman, Margaret Emefiele, was declared wanted on Friday by the commission alongside three others namely Eric Odoh, Anita Omoile, and her husband, Jonathan Omoile, for money laundering.
In a statement by the EFCC confirming the development, the agency said the suspects had allegedly conspired with the former CBN governor to “convert huge sums of money belonging to the Federal Government of Nigeria and committed felony to wit: obtaining money by false pretences, and stealing, contrary to and punishable under Sections 411, 287, and 314 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State.”
In the statement which had mugshots of the four, also noted that they had refused to honour invitation to appear before the agency.
The statement captioned “Mrs. Emefiele, Odoh, Mr and Mrs Omoile, wanted by the EFCC”, reads:
“The quartet of Eric Odoh, Margaret Emefiele, Anita Omoile and Jonathan Omoile, are wanted by the EFCC for offences bothering on economic and financial crimes. Any information on their whereabout? Please contact the nearest EFCC Command or the nearest police Station.”
Emefiele was suspended by President Bola Tinubu in June last year following a plethora of allegations against him including money laundering, forgery and outright fraud.
The former CBN Governor is currently being prosecuted by the EFCC for frauds N1.8bn and $6.2m.
In recent criminal charges filed against him by the EFCC before Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja, the EFCC accused Emefiele of impersonating the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to illegally obtain $6.2m.
According to the amended charge marked CR/577/2023, Emefiele, on February 8, 2023, connived with Ocheme to obtain $6.2m from the CBN, claiming that it was requested by the SGF “vide a letter dated 26th January 2023 with Ref No. SGF.43/L.01/201.”
According to the agency, Emefiele allegedly claimed that the SGF requested the CBN to release “a contingent logistic advance in the sum of $6,230,000.00 in line with Mr. President’s directive.”
Emefiele was also accused of conferring corrupt advantage on his wife and brother In-law, Omoile Macombo, by allegedly awarding a contract for the renovation of a portion of the CBN Governor’s residence in Lagos to the tune of N99.8m.
The anti-graft agency alleged that the contract for the renovation of the CBN Governor’s lodge, located at No. 2 Glover Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, was awarded to a company named Messrs. Architekon Nigeria Limited, “wherein the duo are directors and majority shareholders.”