As part of the ongoing probe of the looting of $6, 230,000 from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Special Investigator, Jim Obazee, has asked the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) to place three suspects on Red Notice.
The suspects – Adamu Abubakar, Imam Abubakar and Odoh Eric Ocheme – have been placed under watch-list for arrest anywhere in the world.
The Federal Government had on January 18 charged them to court for offences relating to money laundering, fraud, forgery and conspiracy, among others.
The affected persons were alleged to have forged the signature of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari to steal $6, 230,000 from the CBN.
The notice to the INTERPOL followed an order of Justice I.E. Ekwo, upon a motion ex-parte of January 18th, 2024, for the warrants of arrest of the suspects.
The Federal Government has also filed a six-count extradition charge against the three suspects.
The suspects were alleged to be on the run.
Obazee made the request in a February 12th, 2024 letter to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in the National Central Bureau of the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) in Abuja.
The letter was in respect of a “request to watch-list and placing on INTERPOL Red Notice on three defendants involved in a case of conspiracy and fraud.”
Signed by the Head of Operations, Office of the Special Investigator, DCP Eloho Okpoziakpo, the letter reads:
“Reference is made to the above subject. The Special Investigator, appointed by the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to investigate the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Related Entities and other Key Government Business Entities (KGBEs) kindly requests you to place the above-named individuals on INTERPOL RED NOTICE.
“In the course of the Special Investigator’s assignment, Mr. Odoh Eric Ocheme, (a staff member of the CBN) now at large, and the other two accomplices, also now at large, were discovered to have conspired and forged documents in the name of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, with which they stole about US$6,230,000 (Six Million, Two Hundred and Thirty Thousand Dollars) in cash, from the coffers of the CBN.
“Consequent upon the above, a charge was filed and warrants of arrest have been issued by the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Abuja Division presided over by Hon. Justice I.E. Ekwo in Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/19/2024 B/w: Federal Republic of Nigeria v. Adamu Abubakar & 2 Ors for the arrest and production of the defendants named above for their arraignment.
“The data page of Odoh Eric Ocheme’s Nigerian International Passport No. B50082800, duly certified true copies of the warrants and the Order of the Court to that effect are hereby attached.
“The Special Investigator, therefore, prays you to use your good office to request that the defendants be placed on INTERPOL RED NOTICE, with a view to apprehending and repatriating them from any of the INTERPOL member states to which they may have flown.
“While counting on your timely cooperation in this regard, kindly accept the esteemed regards of the Special Investigator, please.”
Justice Ekwo had granted an ex-parte order for the issuance of the warrants for the arrest of the three defendants
The Certified True Copy of the order, which was made available by the Registrar of the court, Mrs. Chioma Chijioke, reads: “Upon the Motion ex-parte dated and filed 18th January 2024 praying for the following Orders:
“An Order of Court issuing Warrants for the Arrest of the defendants/respondents.
“And any further or Order(s) as the Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstances.”
The Federal Government filed an extradition charge against the three defendants on January 18 before the same Federal High Court in Abuja Division.
In the case, the Federal Government, through its Prosecuting Counsel, Chief Superintendent of Police Celestine U. Odo, accused the three of conspiring to commit forgery.
It also lined up nine witnesses and 14 exhibits against the defendants
The government said the alleged offence was contrary to paragraph 3(6) and punishable under Section 192)[c] of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap. M17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2010.
For using forged documents to take $6,230,000 from the CBN, the government said the suspects would face trial for an offence punishable under Section 1(2)[c] of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Cap. M17 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2010.
The suspects are wanted for trial for obtaining property by false pretence, contrary to Section 8 and punishable under Section 1(3) & Section 10 of the Advanced Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, Cap. A6 laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2010.
