UNMASKED: The suspect in $6.2m CBN heist who’s wanted over ‘forgery’ of Buhari’s signature

You must have heard the bizarre news that the signature of former President Muhammadu Buhari was allegedly forged to effect the disbursement of $6,230,000 by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The fund was purportedly meant for the payment of foreign election observers. The signature of Boss Mustapha, former secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), was also said to have been forged to process the payment.

The special investigator appointed by President Bola Tinubu to probe the CBN under Godwin Emefiele had in February asked the international criminal police organisation (Interpol) to place three suspects on its watchlist over the $6,230,000 payment.

The suspects were listed as Adamu Abubakar, Imam Abubakar, and Odoh Eric Ocheme.

Emefiele, the former governor of CBN, was also indicted over the alleged fraudulent payment. He is currently facing a 20-count criminal charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Ocheme, an associate of Emefiele, is one of those being investigated over alleged fraud in the apex bank.

The EFCC had recently declared Ocheme and Margaret, wife of Emefiele, as well as Anita Joy Omoile and Jonathan Omoile, wanted for alleged money laundering.

The anti-graft agency said the quartet allegedly colluded with the former CBN governor to divert “huge sums” from the federal government’s coffers.

WHO IS OCHEME?

Born on May 16, 1981, in Markudi, Benue state capital, Ocheme studied economics at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Before his tertiary education, he attended ECWA Secondary School in Markurdi.

Checks by TheCable revealed that Ocheme is one of the directors of Ricrem Limited and Beustone Nigeria Limited.

Ricrem provides services for agricultural production. The company, which was registered in February 2012, is inactive on the website of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

This means that the company has not filed its annual returns up to date.

Those listed as directors of the company are Ocheme, Raymond Sunday Odoh, Livingstone Ocheme Onukwue, and Elliott Ocheme Nwandu.

The second company, Beustone, was established on May 5, 2009. It is also inactive on the CAC website. Those listed as directors are Ocheme, Livingstone Onukwue, Beulah Ali, and Josephine Odoh.

Ocheme, who served as a personal assistant to Emefiele, got married to Chinenyeze Ozioma Okoro in Owerri, Imo state, in February 2021.

The wedding ceremony, which took place at St. Peter’s Anglican Church in Irete, Owerri west LGA, was attended by top politicians and personalities, including Emefiele.

The ceremony was chaired by Orji Kalu, former Abia state governor. Other dignitaries at the event were Alex Otti, governor of Abia; Uche Ogah, former minister of mines and steel development; and Jones Onyereri, a former member of the house of representatives.