TD Abuja, October 6, 2026 — A Director in the Federal Ministry of Finance, Ali Mohammed, has told the Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, that the ministry was not aware of the withdrawal of N124.86 billion from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Mohammed gave the testimony on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, while appearing as Prosecution Witness 10 (PW10) in the ongoing trial of former CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele.
Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Abbas Mohammed, the witness said the Ministry of Finance became aware of the transaction after receiving a letter from an investigation team concerning N154 billion allegedly withdrawn by the CBN.
Finance Ministry Conducted Internal Inquiry
Mohammed told the court that he oversees three divisions within the Ministry’s Department of Home Finance: State and Public Finance, Trade Division, and Banking and Other Financial Institutions.
He said that after receiving the investigator’s letter, he contacted the three divisions under his supervision to determine whether any of them was aware of the transaction.
According to the witness, none of the divisions had prior knowledge of the transaction.
Mohammed identified the State and Public Finance Investment Division as the relevant division because of its oversight responsibility concerning the CBN.
Accountant-General’s Office Also Unaware
The witness said he subsequently wrote through the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance to the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF).
He explained that the OAGF was the appropriate office to approach because it serves as the Federal Government’s custodian for payments.
Mohammed told the court that the OAGF responded in writing that it was also unaware of the transaction.
According to him, the Accountant-General’s response indicated that the money constituted a direct credit from the CBN.
He said he relied on the response from the Accountant-General before preparing his reply to the Special Investigator.
“I responded via a memo of what has transpired between my office and that of the AGF and sought for clearance for such document to be forwarded to the Special Investigator. Subsequently, the letter was forwarded,” Mohammed told the court.
Documents Admitted as Exhibits
The witness identified documents relating to the correspondence when they were shown to him in court.
The prosecution subsequently sought to tender the documents in evidence.
Defence counsel, Olalekan Ojo, SAN, did not object to their admission.
Justice Maryanne Anineh consequently admitted the documents and marked them as Exhibits AJ, AK and AL.
Mohammed told the court that the original documents had already been forwarded to the Special Investigator. He therefore tendered certified true copies.
Exhibit AJ: N124.86bn Withdrawal
While examining the exhibits, prosecution counsel asked Mohammed to explain the purpose of Exhibit AJ.
The witness said the document established that the Federal Ministry of Finance was not aware of the N124.86 billion withdrawal.
He explained that he relied on the correspondence received from the Accountant-General before signing the document.
Regarding Exhibit AL, Mohammed said it was confirmation from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation that the office was not aware of the transaction involving N124.86 billion.
The testimony forms part of the prosecution’s ongoing presentation of evidence in the trial of the former CBN governor.
The court proceedings are continuing.
