Emefiele reshuffles CBN Deputy Governors, as Nnanna returns from suspension

Indications emerged last night that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele has carried out a minor reshuffling of two of his Deputy Governors.

BusinessDay gathered that the swap is between Adebayo Adelabu, CBN Deputy Governor, (Corporate Services) who now becomes DG (Operations) and Suleiman Barau, CBN Deputy Governor (Operations) who now heads the Corporate Services Division of the apex bank.

This comes as Joseph Nnanna, CBN Deputy Governor, Financial System Surveillance has been recalled and has already resumed work six months after Emefiele suspended him and four other apex bank top officials over alleged suspicious deals.

The reasons for the reshuffling was not known as at press time but BusinessDay gathered, however, that it has nothing to do with Nnanna’s return.

“It’s only a swap between Bayo Adelabu (DG Operations) and Suleiman Barau (now Corporate Services). And by the way, this has nothing to do with Nnanna’s return. Just a coincidence of timing,” a top CBN source confirmed to BusinessDay last night.

But Isaac Okorafor, CBN Acting Director, Corporate Communications could not confirm the latest development as he said he was just retuning to Abuja from a trip.

“I cannot confirm that story because I have been away for two weeks,” Okorafor stated.

Emefiele had in March suspended Nnanna; Deputy Director, Payment; Deputy Director,  Trade and Exchange department; and the Deputy Director, Governor’s  Office for failing to follow financial regulations and due process in a transaction which led to the scamming of the bank by fraudsters.

In a statement, Isaac Okoroafor, confirmed then that the CBN uncovered a highly sophisticated plot to defraud the apex bank and that all key personnel involved in the transaction were being placed on suspension. He had said the suspension was to allow “a full and unfettered investigation”, as he confirmed that the incidence had been reported to relevant authorities “although preliminary investigations so far have not revealed any accomplices within the CBN.”

A top CBN source also confirmed last night that by the recall,  Nnanna has been exonerated of suspected accomplice in the deal eventhough he could not confirm whether the  balance of $190,000, which was said to have been cashed by the scammers before the fraud was bursted. has been recovered.

 

Onyinye Nwachukwu