Ex-SGF Boss Mustapha denies taking $6.3m from CBN
Boss Mustapha, who served as the SGF under ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, has dismissed a report that claimed he was part of the unlawful withdrawal of $6.3 million from the CBN during Buhari’s tenure.
The report said that a special investigator appointed by President Bola Tinubu discovered the alleged fraud, which happened on February 8, 2023 — just before the presidential election.
The report also accused Mustapha and the former CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele of taking out the money under the pretext of paying for foreign election observers.
The report said that CCTV footage showed how the money was transferred out of the CBN.
But Mustapha, in a statement he signed and released to the press on Saturday, strongly denied the charges, calling them “baseless and unfounded”.
He said the allegation was a “deliberate lie” and a “planned” attempt to tarnish his image and reputation.
The former SGF said he had no idea of the alleged “Presidential Directive” that the report used as a reason for the withdrawal.
He said he was never part of any conversations or deals related to any payments for foreign election observers.
Mustapha questioned the timing of the allegation, saying that its publication during the “critical pre-Christmas period” was a sign that it was a calculated attempt to manipulate public opinion and create confusion.
The former SGF asked for a comprehensive and honest investigation into the issue, urging the authorities to “investigate the origin of the fake documents” and reveal those behind the “defamation” campaign.
He also urged the public and the media to use their judgment and not fall for false information.