The Department of Security Services (DSS) will be rubbishing President Muhammadu Buhari and the nation’s judiciary if it goes ahead to arrest the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, despite a Court order barring the agency, over the alleged trumped-up charges of terrorism financing. This is the position of a civil society organisation, African Center for Justice and Human Rights (ACJHR).
The group in a statement by its strategic communication consultant, Comrade Abubakar Isa, observed that Justice M. A. Hassan of an FCT High Court had barred the DSS from inviting, arresting, detaining or charging the CBN Governor with any allegation of terrorism or fraudulent act.
He noted that the Judge described the plot to arrest Emefiele of terrorism as oppressive, baseless, fabricated, and unacceptable.
Comrade Isa frowned at the fact that despite the Court order, there were reports that the DSS was still hell-bent on arresting Emefiele.
He wondered what use is democracy in Nigeria if a security agency wants to violate the ruling of a major pillar of democratic governance and an orderly society.
He, therefore, reiterated call for the arrest of the director-general of the DSS, Yusuf Magaji Bichi, and operatives involved in the trumped-up allegation of terrorism against Emefiele.
The ACJHR statement reads, “In December 2022, the Court quashed the Department of Security Services move to charge CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele with trumped up charges of terrorism financing and economic crimes.
The Court, as the last hope of the citizen, has made a pronouncement on the legal rights and obligations of citizen Godwin Emefiele, it behoves all agencies of government to obey the order of the court, until such order is set aside by an appellate court.
The constitutional role of the judiciary as the third arm of government includes serving as a bulwark against oppression and intimidation. Regrettably, this hallowed principle appears to mean little to the country’s political leadership despite decades of democracy.
“In a display of recklessness, DSS is about to exhibit defiance to a lawful court order, thereby violating a major pillar of democratic governance and an orderly society.
A major hallmark of democratic governance is the principle and practice of the separation of powers. DSS will be rubbishing President Muhammadu Buhari and the judiciary if they go after Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, despite Court order barring them over the alleged trumped up charges of terrorism financing.”
