Nigeria‘s central bank governor Lamido Sanusi has been suspended by the president for “financial recklessness and misconduct”.
Mr. Sanusi caused shockwaves in Nigeria when he alleged that $20bn in oil revenue had gone missing.
Nigeria’s state oil firm has denied failing to account for the money, saying the claim was “unsubstantiated”.
Mr. Sanusi is widely respected after undertaking reforms to the banking sector since his appointment in 2009.
He was named central bank governor of the year for 2010 by Banker magazine.
He told the BBC he would challenge his suspension in order to preserve the central bank’s independence.
Foreign exchange, bond and money markets have stopped trading because of uncertainty caused by the move, Reuters news agency reported.
The BBC’s Will Ross in Lagos says Mr. Sanusi’s allegations threaten to expose high-level fraud in Nigeria’s notoriously opaque and corrupt oil sector. Nigeria is one of the world’s biggest oil producers.
“The reality is anyone who challenges the oil sector is striking at the heart of the vested interests that control the Nigerian state and one should be ready for the consequences,” Mr. Sanusi told the BBC’s Focus on Africa program.
The controversy also comes ahead of next year’s elections, with the governing party split over whether President Goodluck Jonathan should contest.
Earlier this month, Mr. Sanusi told a senate committee that out of $67bn of oil sold between January 2012 and July 2013, $20bn had not been accounted for.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation said the allegations showed “little understanding of the technicalities of the oil industry”.
Mr. Sanusi is currently in Niger attending a meeting of top officials. His deputy, Sarah Alade, who is traveling with him, will fill in until a new governor is appointed.
President Jonathan asked him to resign in December but Mr Sanusi refused, sources told the BBC Hausa service. The president does not have the power to sack the central bank governor – only the National Assembly can do this.
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