The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) told the Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, that the second defendant, Henry Omoile, voluntarily made his extra-judicial statements in the ongoing $4.5 billion fraud trial involving former Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
Naijaonpoint reports that Emefiele is standing trial on a 19-count charge bordering on gratification and corrupt demands, while Omoile, his co-defendant, faces a three-count charge related to the unlawful acceptance of gifts.
Both defendants have pleaded not guilty.
Testifying in a trial-within-trial initiated to determine the admissibility of Omoile’s statements, EFCC operative Alvan Gurumnaan insisted that the statements were not coerced.
“The second defendant did not make any statement under duress. Our officers do not force statements through violence or intimidation,” he told the court.
Gurumnaan, formerly of the Special Operations Unit of EFCC Lagos Zonal Command, narrated that Omoile made the statements openly in the Commission’s conference room in Block A of the Lagos Directorate, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi.
NAIJAONPOINT described his surprise at Omoile’s objection, noting that the defendant arrived at the EFCC office on February 26, 2024, accompanied by the Acting Managing Director of NIBSS and his lawyer, Mr. E. N. Offiong.
“The statements were taken openly. There is no way we could have done that under threat,” he said.
The court admitted four statements from Omoile – three dated February 26, 2024, and one dated February 27, 2024 – as Exhibits 1–4.
Gurumnaan confirmed that Omoile was in custody when he made them.
He further testified that Omoile was duly cautioned before making his statements and confirmed that the defendant signed the documents, even writing a note on one of them: “I am making this statement in the presence of my lawyer, Offiong.”
Gurumnaan tendered the EFCC visitors’ register as supporting evidence of the lawyer’s presence on both days.
Under cross-examination by defence counsel Olalekan Ojo (SAN) and Adeyinka (SAN), Gurumnaan admitted that no video recording was made, despite it being part of the EFCC’s standard practice.
He explained that certain operational circumstances sometimes make video recording impossible.
Justice Oshodi adjourned further hearing in the trial-within-trial to Thursday, January 15, and Friday, January 16, 2026.
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