Redesigned naira notes printed locally as late President Buhari ordered, witness tells court

A prosecution witness , Chinedu Eneanya, told a Federal High Court, Abuja Division, on Wednesday that the redesigned naira notes were produced locally as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) charged a former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, with disobedience to the direction of law and illegal acts causing injury to the public.

Mr Eneanya was cross examined by the counsel for Mr Emefiele, Olalekan Ojo, SAN.

Asked to confirm that Exhibit N1, was the extra-judicial statement of the managing director,  Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC), Ahmed Halilu.

The witness answered in the affirmative and added that he (Halilu) was invited to shed light on the subject matter of the charge.

He said that Mr Halilu stated that NSPMC commenced and eventually produced the redesigned naira notes locally.

The witness stated that in the cause of investigation, he did not come across any contradicting evidence in what was contained in Exhibit N1. He said CBN paid NSPMC for the production.

Asked if Mr Emefiele disobeyed presidential directive? The witness said, “The  investigation showed that defendant disobeyed the provisions of the CBN Act 2007, Section 19, which stated that CBN board must recommend to the president before currency must be redesigned. “

He was asked to confirm to the court if that was the only ‘act’ of disobedience by the defendant.

The witness said the defendant memo to the president had the three samples of the new notes attached.

“The defendant in his 11-page memo to the president attached three samples or sketches of the notes to be changed and the president approved the design and said,  it should be produced locally,” the witness said.

He however added that the investigation showed that what was produced later was different from the president’s approval. Mr Ojo asked the witness to confirm the company that designed the old notes which later was redesigned.

The witness told the court that it was DeLaRue of United Kingdom. He stated further that Mr Halilu said NSPMC was not the company that designed the currency even before the redesigned notes.

Asked if he obtained statements from the committee of governors or board of directors of CBN, he answered in the affirmative.

Asked if EFCC forwarded to him any petition from the members of the public,  the witness answered: He said, “I do not know if the commission received any, I only investigated what was assigned to me. No my Lord, no petition was forwarded to me”

Asked to confirm to the court if the naira notes were produced by the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC)

Mr Eneanya confirmed that De La Rue was the company that originally designed the naira notes that became subject of redesign.

When being re-examined by A.O Mohammed, the prosecution counsel, the witness said: “The design for the new notes were already attached to the memorandum to the presidency and he ordered that it should be produced locally “

The witness was then discharged. Justice Maryann Anenih then adjourned the matter until  May 11 for further hearing. NAN