Godwin Emefiele Trial Deepens as EFCC Coercion Allegations Rock Court
The Godwin Emefiele trial has taken a dramatic turn as fresh allegations of EFCC pressure surfaced during proceedings at the Ikeja Special Offences Court. The controversy emerged during a trial within trial, where the second defendant, Henry Omoile, claimed that operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission attempted to coerce him into implicating the former Central Bank of Nigeria governor. According to the defence, investigators allegedly promised leniency and possible freedom in exchange for statements linking Emefiele to the alleged 4.5 billion dollar and 2.8 billion naira fraud case.
Testifying before Justice Rahman Oshodi on January 15, 2026, Omoile’s counsel, Nnamdi Offial, recounted events from interrogation sessions held in February 2024. He told the court that EFCC officials repeatedly assured his client of administrative bail and a potential removal from the case if he cooperated. Offial further alleged that the questioning followed a controlled format where responses were allegedly screened, and any answer that did not align with investigators’ expectations was reportedly rejected and excluded from Omoile’s written statement.
The defence also narrated a critical incident on February 27, 2024, when Omoile was allegedly questioned without his lawyer present. Offial said he was prevented from accessing his client and was escorted out of the EFCC premises by an officer identified as David. During that period, Omoile was allegedly told he would remain in custody unless he cooperated with investigators. He remained detained for 21 days before securing bail through a fundamental rights enforcement action at the Federal High Court.
The EFCC has firmly denied these allegations. Earlier testimony from EFCC operative Alvan Gurumnaan stated that Omoile made his statements voluntarily in an open conference room at the commission’s Ikoyi office. Gurumnaan claimed the defendant was accompanied by his lawyer and the Acting Managing Director of the Nigeria Inter Bank Settlement System throughout the process. However, under cross examination, the operative admitted that no video recording was made of the statement taking sessions, despite this being standard practice, citing operational limitations.
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As the court evaluates these opposing narratives to determine whether the disputed statements will be admitted as evidence, the implications remain significant. Godwin Emefiele and Henry Omoile are facing a total of 22 charges bordering on abuse of office, receiving gratification, and accepting gifts through proxies. The outcome of this trial within trial is expected to shape the direction of one of Nigeria’s most closely watched corruption cases in recent years.