By Denis Matthew, Abuja
A prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, testified on Thursday how $6.23 million was withdrawn from the bank’s Garki branch using forged documents.
Bashirudden Muhammed Maishanu, an Assistant Director at the CBN and the eleventh prosecution witness (PW11), told Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court that the funds were purportedly withdrawn on February 8, 2023, for election observers and logistics expenses.
In a statement signed by Dele Oyewale, Head of Media & Publicity for the EFCC, the witness explained that he was approached in January 2023 by an individual identified as Alhaji Ahmed.
Ahmed claimed to be working with a special committee in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and stated he was processing payments authorized by the President.
Maishanu testified that after Ahmed claimed to have secured presidential approval, the witness recommended a friend to facilitate the cash collection.
On February 8, the sum of $6,230,000 was withdrawn in cash.
Following the transaction, Ahmed allegedly left $2.5 million of the total sum with the witness’s friends at a clubhouse in Abuja.
“I saw the cash and told them I thought it was outrageous because we never negotiated for any payment with the said Alhaji Ahmed,” Maishanu stated, noting that he and his friends decided to keep the money.
Under cross-examination by defense counsel Matthew Burkar, SAN, Maishanu admitted to receiving a share of the $2.5 million along with two others.
While he initially claimed he did not know the transaction was fraudulent at the time, he later told the court he became certain of the fraud after seeing the forged documents.
He noted that the CBN’s rigorous payment processes should have prevented such a high-value withdrawal based on forged papers.
The witness also confirmed that despite his involvement, he had not faced disciplinary action from the CBN board, which is chaired by the Governor.
He explained that bank sanctions for erring staff ranging from warnings to dismissal are typically recommended by a disciplinary committee after a formal investigation.
Maishanu further clarified that while he did not witness the signing of the approvals, the internal payment flow and signatures on the documents at the Garki branch could trace every individual involved in the withdrawal.
Justice Muazu adjourned the matter until Friday, January 30, 2026, for the continuation of the trial.
