George Uboh, the head of the George Uboh Whistleblowers Network, claims that Godwin Emefiele imprisoned him for 101 days in 2019.

Uboh claimed that after he exposed the alleged involvement of the former CBN head in a forex scam, Emefiele, the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), arrested and detained him.

He stated this on Monday in response to Emefiele’s suspension and arrest over the weekend by the Department of State Services (DSS).

He said, “While the media is replete with reports of Emefiele’s corruption post-arrest, pre-arrest, however, no Nigerian dared criticise the Almighty Emefiele. George Uboh Whistleblowers Network (hereinafter GUWN) exposed Emefiele’s corruption regarding forex fraud of over US$3 billion via letters written to Emefiele on or about April 1, 2019.

“On May 15, 2019, the day Emefiele appeared before the Senate for screening and clearance for his second tenure, I was arrested in my Maitama office. I was detained for 101 days for defamation of Emefiele’s character.

“The then Chief Judge, FCT, Ishaq Bello refused to hear my bail application. DIG Mike Ogbizi verbally denied me bail after I fulfilled the administrative bail granted to me by his men at Force CID,” Uboh said.

Uboh, meanwhile, suggested that in order to help law enforcement agencies quickly solve crimes, President Bola Tinubu should work with whistleblowers.

According to him, whistleblowers are crucial in the fight against corruption and should be protected and compensated. “We humbly request that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR direct law enforcement agencies to work with whistleblowers in order to solve crimes swifter, trace, and recover mind-boggling funds stolen or trapped,” he said.

“Whistleblowers play a vital role in the fight against corruption, and it is crucial to protect them from adverse treatment and compensate them.”