An Abuja-based Federal High Court has reportedly rejected a request by the Department of State Services (DSS) to arrest and detain Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele on charges relating to “acts of financing of terrorism, fraudulent activities and economic crimes with a national security dimension”.
The lawsuit, with reference number FHC/Abj/CS/2255/2022, had the Department of State Services as plaintiff.
Why the court denied the DSS application
Judge JT Tsoho, who declined to grant the ex parte motion seeking to arrest Emefiele, is reported to have said that DSS did not provide any concrete evidence to substantiate its claims that Emefiele was involved in terrorist financing and economic crimes.
- According to Punch, the judge who refused to grant DSS’s request said, “IIn light of the above reasons, I refuse to grant this ex parte request. If the applicant believes that the evidence available so far is sufficient, he can also arrest and detain you, even without a court order. However, if the applicant wishes to proceed with this application, then he must notify the respondent considering the sensitive public position that he occupies”.
Meanwhile, there are reports that the judge became uncomfortable with the fact that the DSS request to arrest the CBN governor was not accompanied by presidential approval despite the sensitive nature of the matter and its serious implications for the Nigerian economy. .
DSS Problem Warning
Meanwhile, the DSS, in its reaction to recent protests by some groups, stated that it would not join those protesting the lawsuit filed against the CBN governor, saying they were on a wild goose chase.
The secret police warned Nigerians not to use themselves as instruments of destabilization and said the service would not be distracted by those seeking to use “propaganda” to undermine its legal investigations.
The DSS in a press release from its spokesman, Peter Afunanya, maintained that it remains focused and impartial and would not succumb to propaganda, intimidation and the desperation of mercenaries to undermine it.
- Afunanya in the statement said: ”As such, the Service will continue to disseminate actionable intelligence to the relevant authorities without sentiment.
- “While professionally fulfilling its mandate, DSS is committed to . Nor will it allow for the use of falsehood and deception to mislead public understanding and perceptions of issues of national importance.
- “Nor will it allow for the use of falsehood and deception to mislead public understanding and perceptions of issues of national importance.
- The service warned those in a futile chase to be aware of their actions. Likewise, he urges members of the public to ignore the invectives and rants of misguided elements and not allow them to be used as instruments of destabilization.”
to catch
There have been suggestions that Emefiele’s recent woes could be political given the likely impact that the redesign of the naira and revised cash-out limits may have on politicians and vote-buying in the 2023 general election.
Remember there were reports of a huge protest of over 200 people storming a Federal High Court in Abuja following a lawsuit secretly filed by the DSS, accusing CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele of terrorist financing and other crimes.
The group of civil society organizations had raised the alarm about an alleged plot to frame Emefiele for terrorism and remove him from office.
The protesters, who carried banners with various inscriptions, also alleged that the DSS embarked on the plot to remove the CBN governor for political and pecuniary reasons.