President Buhari May Probe CBN

President Muhammadu Buhari may extend his investigation into recent activities of some government agencies and departments to the Central Bank of Nigeria, SUNDAY PUNCH has learnt. Buhari had while meeting state governors on June 23, stated that officials of the past government abandoned all financial and administrative instructions put in place in parastatals and agencies, therefore throwing the country into financial crisis. He also vowed at that meeting that funds stolen
by government officials who abused their offices in the past would be recovered and systemic leakages stopped. A Presidency official on condition of anonymity told our correspondent on Saturday that the issue of alleged financial malpractices in the CBN featured prominently during the meeting Buhari had with the state governors. The source said in the course of reviewing activities of government agencies and parastatals under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan during the meeting, a state governor made reference to the CBN. He said the governor, who he refused to name, did not mince words in asking Buhari to ensure that he extends his investigation to the bank. He said, “I can tell you authoritatively that the issue of the CBN came up during the meeting the President had with state governors recently. “I remember vividly that one governor raised the issue and called on the President to extend ongoing probes to the CBN.'' The official did not however disclose the President’s disposition to the submission made by the governor. When contacted, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said he had no information on the issue. Adesina, however, said the Buhari administration was committed to transparency and accountability in all sectors. The National Economic Council led by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had on Monday launched a probe into the finances of the Nigerian National Petroleum Commission and the management of the Excess Crude Account under former President Goodluck Jonathan. The investigation to be carried out by four state governors is meant to unravel the sum of N3.8trillion allegedly not remitted to the Federation Account by the NNPC between 2012 and May 2015 as well as the sum of $2.1bn said to have been deducted from the ECA without approval. The four-man committee consists of the governors of Edo (Adams Oshiomhole); Gombe (Ibrahim Dankwabo); Kaduna (Nasir El-Rufai); and Akwa Ibom (Udom Emmanuel). They will be presenting their report to the NEC during its next sitting on July 23.