Emefiele Case: EFCC Operative Defends 24-Day Detention, Says Statements Not Forced

Wale Igbintade

An operative of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Alvan Gurumnaan, yesterday told the Special Offences Court in Ikeja that the second defendant, Henry Omoile, in the ongoing trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, was held in the commission’s custody for 24 days before he was released on bail.

Omoile is standing trial on 26 counts bordering on abuse of office and alleged $4.5 billion and N2.8 billion fraud, alongside Emefiele. Both defendants have pleaded not guilty.

Testifying in a trial-within-trial, Gurumnaan explained that Omoile remained in custody for 24 days because he was unable to meet the bail conditions set for him.

He insisted that the defendant’s statements were made voluntarily and not obtained through any form of coercion.

Gurumnaan said, “The second defendant did not make any statement under duress. Our officers do not force statements through violence.”

He added that EFCC operatives were trained professionals who did not extract statements through threats, violence, or intimidation.

He further stated that where duress was alleged, it was the responsibility of the defendant to prove it.

The trial-within-trial was ordered by Justice Oshodi after defence counsel Kotoye Adeyinka (SAN) objected to the admissibility of Omoile’s extra-judicial statements, which prosecuting counsel Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) sought to tender as evidence at the October 9, 2025 sitting.

Gurumnaan, now based in Abuja, but formerly with the Special Operations Unit of EFCC Lagos Zonal Command 1, narrated how Omoile’s statements were taken openly in a spacious conference room on the first floor of Block A at the EFCC Lagos Directorate 1, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi.

According to him, the environment made coercion impossible.

He said he was surprised that Omoile later objected to the statements because the defendant had appeared at the EFCC office on February 26, 2024, with 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 maintained.

The court admitted four statements as Exhibits 1–4 in the mini trial.

Three were taken on February 26, 2024, and one on February 27, 2024.

Gurumnaan confirmed that Omoile was in custody when the statements were made and that suspects were routinely cautioned beforehand.

He said the cautionary words were administered by another team member, Mr. Azeez Ajigbotosho.

He told the court that Omoile signed the statements and wrote, “I am making this statement in the presence of my lawyer, Offiong.”

Although one of the statements did not expressly reflect the lawyer’s presence, Gurumnaan maintained that Offiong was present on both days, and he tendered the EFCC visitors’ register to support his claim.

Under cross-examination by defence counsel Olalekan Ojo (SAN) and Kotoye Adeyinka (SAN), the witness admitted that the commission did not produce video recordings of the statement-taking sessions, even though video documentation was part of EFCC’s standard procedure.

He stated, however, that some situations made video recording impracticable.

After cross-examination, Justice Oshodi adjourned further hearing in the trial-within-trial to January 15, and January 16, 2026.