Godwin Emefiele, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor who has been placed on leave, and others will be charged with N6.9 billion in procurement fraud at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Thursday.

According to news reports, Emefiele will face 20 accusations of procurement fraud, conspiracy, and giving his colleagues unfair advantages, together with a female CBN employee named Sa’adatu Yaro and her company, April1616 Investment Limited.

Following his suspension on June 9 by President Bola Tinubu, Emefiele, who has been in detention, is accused of conferring corrupt advantages on Yaro, a director in April 1616 Investment Ltd.

The offence contravenes section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000 and Emefiele, if convicted, may be given a five-year jail term without an option of a fine.

Any public officer who uses his office or position to gratify or confer any corrupt or unfair advantage upon himself or any relation or associate of the public officer or any other public officer shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be liable to imprisonment for five years without an option of fine”, the section reads.

Signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mohammed Abubakar and the Deputy Director of Public Prosecution, N Jones-Nebo and eight other ministry officials, the charges state that the three accused individuals bought a fleet of over 98 exotic vehicles and armoured buses valued at about N6.9 billion.

The vehicles were reportedly purchased between 2018 and 2020 and include 84 Toyota Hilux vehicles, 10 armoured Mercedes Benz buses, three Toyota Landcruisers and one Toyota Avalon car.