As Emefiele resumes his duties, it’s possible that the conflict between the Department of State Services and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, regarding a plan to arrest the CBN governor has been put on hold.
After spending several weeks in the United Kingdom and the United States amid rumored DSS arrest plans, the CBN governor resumed office on Monday at the CBN headquarters.
Concerns over the governor’s absence since last month prompted the apex bank to issue a statement in which the CBN Director of Corporate Communications, Mr. Osita Nwanisobi, stated that the governor had resumed work.
The statement read, “Mr. Godwin Emefiele, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, has resumed duty after his annual vacation abroad.” Today, Monday, January 16, 2023, Mr. Emefiele, who went on leave in December 2022, resumed work.
“In advance of the first Monetary Policy Committee meeting of the year, which was scheduled for January 23 to 24, 2023, the governor resumed with renewed vigor to perform his duty. Mr. Emefiele remains committed to carrying out the task at hand in accordance with his oath of office and President Muhammadu Buhari’s policy direction.
In addition, the bank urged Nigerians to continue supporting the bank’s policies that aim to maintain a stable financial system and the Nigerian economy as a whole.
In the meantime, the Department of State Services has stated that they did not enter the CBN’s Abuja headquarters.
Some media outlets, but not The PUNCH, reported that the DSS had stormed the CBN headquarters to arrest the apex bank governor.
Peter Afunanya, the DSS Public Relations Officer, issued a statement on Monday denying that Emefiele had been arrested.
“The attention of the Department of State Services has been drawn to the false news making the rounds that its operatives invaded the Central Bank of Nigeria and arrested its Governor, today 16/1/23,” read one portion of the statement. This is completely false information.
However, the development appears to have temporarily put an end to the DSS’s alleged plan to arrest the nation’s top banker.
Following the DSS’s decision to arrest Emefiele, Emefiele, possibly the most troubled and contentious CBN governor in recent country history, left the country last month.
The secret service agency approached an Abuja court in December to have Emefiele arrested on suspicion of, among other things, financing terrorism and money laundering.
However, the CBN governor’s arrest for alleged “acts of financing terrorism, fraudulent activities, and economic crimes of national security dimension” was reportedly halted by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
On December 7, 2022, the DSS sought to arrest the CBN governor and filed a lawsuit. Justice J.T. Tsoho, on the other hand, turned down the request to arrest the governor on December 9, 2022.
State Security Services was the applicant in the suit, which had the reference number FHC/Abj/CS/2255/2022.
Related Information Economy: Understanding the CBN’s policies CBN injects $15.3 billion to stabilize the naira DSS denies entering Emefiele’s office The judge said, “In light of the foregoing reasons, I decline to grant this application ex parte.” in rejecting the DSS request. Even without a court order, the applicant can be arrested and detained if it believes that the evidence at its disposal so far is sufficient. However, given the sensitive public position he holds, the respondent should be notified if the applicant wishes to continue with this application.
Also, on December 29, the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory said that the DSS and the Inspector General of Police could not arrest or detain Emefiele because they were accused of terrorism and other crimes against him.
In the meantime, the court has ordered an expedited hearing and reduced the respondents’ and the applicant’s time.
The Federal Attorney General, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and the Central Bank of Nigeria, who are listed as the first, second, and fifth defendants, are also prohibited by the court order.
On Sunday, six Senior Advocates of Nigeria, including a former Attorney General of the Federation, condemned the move to arrest Emefiele for terrorism and insisted that the rule of law must prevail. Justice MA Hassan issued the order while delivering judgment in the suit marked GAR/CV/41/2022.
They urged Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami (SAN) to ensure that the government, particularly the security agencies, adhere to the Rule of Law as the foundation of a democratic society by adhering to court decisions in a letter.
The former Attorney General and Minister of Justice and Defence, Adetokunbo Kayode, Oba Maduabuchi, Emeka Ozoani, M.M. Nurudeen, Abdul Mohammed, and Dr. Emeka Obegolu, all signed the letter, stating that they observed efforts to continue, sidetrack, disobey the decisions made by the courts, and unlawfully and unduly interfere with Emefiele’s fundamental rights.
The letter was titled Emefiele: and was sent on January 6, 2023. Allow the rule of law to rule.
Several Emefiele-supporting organizations had criticized the DSS’s move in the interim.
Concern had been expressed about the DSS’s plan to arrest Emefiele by a group of human rights activists, the Arewa Youth Consultative Movement, and public interest lawyers working under the Coalition of National Interest Defenders.
They claimed that politicians who disagreed with the apex bank’s economic reform policy, particularly the naira’s designation, orchestrated the plan to fire the CBN governor.
In response, the DSS stated that it would not join those protesting the CBN governor’s lawsuit, claiming that they were on a wild goose chase.
The agency stated in a release that was signed by its spokesman, Peter Afunanya, that it would remain focused and impartial and would not give in to propaganda, threats, or hirelings’ desperate attempts to undermine it.
The DSS promises to maintain its focus and impartiality even as it professionally fulfills its mandate. Additionally, it will not permit the use of deception and lies to sway public perceptions and comprehension of issues of national significance.
The service advised those who were on a wild goose chase to exercise caution. In a similar vein, it exhorts members of the public to ignore the vitriol and rants of misguided individuals and to avoid being used as destabilizing instruments.