Former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, saw his trial resume before a Federal Capital Territory High Court on Tuesday, where a significant prosecution witness admitted that former President Muhammadu Buhari approved the redesign of the Naira.
Mr. Ahmed Bello Umar, a former Director of Currency Operations at the Central Bank, testified and submitted evidence before trial Justice Maryann Anenih.
Former President Buhari personally signed the approval, dated October 6, 2022, which originated from the State House and was conveyed to the CBN during Emefiele’s leadership. According to the witness, it greenlit both the redesigning and printing of new Naira notes.
The witness stated that the approval authorized both the redesigning and printing of new Naira notes. It was reported that the Chief of Staff to President Buhari transmitted the written presidential approval to the CBN.
The witness presented samples of the design approved by the former President, noting they were slightly different from what the defendant eventually printed.
Umar, who authored some memos, disclosed that while the portraits in the samples approved by ex-President Buhari were on the right side, he admitted that in the new currencies printed by the defendant, the portraits appeared on the left side.
Moreover, he informed the court that whereas the approved samples featured a QR Code, the currencies eventually printed by the defendant lacked this feature.