…Say claims Of alleged N89trn Stamp Duty fraud unfounded 

By Ezra Ukanwa, Abuja

Over 2000 civil society organizations have blasted critics of the governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele, on lies and founded allegations bordering on 89 trillion fraud.

The CSOs under the auspices of Coalition of Civil Society Organizations on Good Governance, CCSGG, also said the entire banking sector deposits in Nigerian did not amount to half of N89tn.

Vanguard reports that following controversies trailing a claim of a missing N89.09tn allegedly siphoned from stamp duty charges, the Presidency on Tuesday said such claims were false.

However, the CSOs in a statement jointly signed by its president, Etuk Bassey Williams and Abubakar Ibrahim, secretary of the group yesterday in Abuja, said the persons who are taking to some media houses to speak against Emefiele are those whose evil deeds of corruption are being exposed and strangled by the recent Naira Design and Withdrawal policy.

The statement partly reads: “It is very important for us at this point to voice out over the lies and cheap blackmail some corrupt politicians and so-called business men and women are peddling on the pages and websites of some media houses alleging what they have conspired against the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele.

“The false allegations by a Member of House of Representatives from Jigawa State, Hon Gudaji Kazaure, of the alleged N89 trillion stamp duty is a lie from the pit of hell.

“The Presidency recently defused him on this allegation of N89 trillion Stamp Duty, and he is going to media houses to fly his kite to woo Nigerians to his side.”

The CSOs, also said that efforts by some individuals to water down the Buhari-led Administration, have utterly failed. 

“Kazaure and his statement should be discarded and taking for nothing because he is just ranting his frustration. 

“This conspiracy is very clear and it is not far-fetched, which is because

of the policies implemented by the Emefiele-led CBN. 

“You can imagine the stolen and hidden monies in water tanks, underground, huge sacs, and bank accounts they have kept at the detriment of Nigerians and the economy is now becoming useless.

“These people who are speaking all sorts of lies because those monies they stole could not be taken to banks for fear of being arrested, and now are frustrated and made foolish.

“Their fraud allegations against the wise and foresight strategist Mr President have placed at the CBN are all tissues of lies, baseless and unfounded. These people are not speaking in the interest of Nigerians but for their selfish and evil aims that do not hold water.

“They are angry because they were taken unawares and surprised. We want to tell them that as credible Civil Society Organizations number over 2000 are solidly behind the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, and we are ready to go at any length to unearth these.”