Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF), Boss Mustapha, has vehemently denied a report alleging his involvement in the alleged illegal withdrawal of $6.3 million from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) during Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
The report, published by an online newspaper, claimed that a special investigator appointed by President Bola Tinubu uncovered the alleged theft, which supposedly occurred on February 8, 2023 — weeks before the presidential election.
The report further alleged that Mustapha, along with the embattled former CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, authorised the removal of the cash from the bank’s vault under the guise of funding foreign election observer missions.
The investigator’s report, as quoted by the publication, claimed CCTV footage captured how the money was moved out of the apex bank.
However, Mustapha, in a strongly worded statement made available to newsmen on Saturday, categorically refuted the accusations, calling them “outrageous and unsubstantiated, describing the article as a “malicious fabrication”, and an “orchestrated” attempt to assassinate my character and besmirch my reputation”.
The former SGF stressed that he lacked knowledge of the purported “Presidential Directive” cited in the report as justification for the withdrawal.
He also stated that he was never involved in discussions or transactions related to any payments for foreign election observers.
