A prosecution witness in the trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele told the Federal High Court in Abuja that Emefiele complied with a directive from the late President Muhammadu Buhari requiring that redesigned naira notes be produced in Nigeria by the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC), court records show.
The witness, Chinedu Emere, who is being called by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), said Emefiele submitted a memorandum dated October 6, 2022, seeking approval to redesign and produce the N100, N200, N500 and N1,000 notes.
In the memorandum, Emere told the court, the former president approved the redesign and directed that the production be done locally in Nigeria by NSPMC.
During cross-examination, Emere confirmed that NSPMC carried out the production of the redesigned notes in compliance with the presidential directive.
He said while the redesign work was carried out by the foreign company De La Rue, the printing of the notes took place in Nigeria, and that the CBN issued bills of settlement to the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company in accordance with the directive.
Emefiele is facing a four-count charge brought by the EFCC that includes disobedience to lawful authority and illegal acts causing injury to the public under Section 123 of the Penal Code, Cap 89, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
