Nigerians across various divide have condemned the assault on oofficers of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) by officers of the Directorate of State Services (DSS).
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) describedTuesday’s scuffle between operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and officers of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) over the custody of the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele as “despicable”.
Emefiele was charged by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation under the Ministry of Justice.
He is standing trial before Justice Nicholas Oweibo, on a two-counts charge of illegal possession of firearms
He had pleaded not guilty to charge and was granted bail in the sum of N20 million with one surety in like sum.
The court had adjourned the case until Nov. 14 for trial and had ordered a remand of the defendant in the correctional service pending perfection of his bail.
Meanwhile, after the case was adjourned, the defendant remained in the courtroom several hours after the case ended.
It was gathered by newsmen who equally waited all the time in court ‘s premises, that the defendant may likely be re-arrested by the DSS.
The environment of the court was filled with armed men of the DSS, who were seen waiting with guns at the entrance to the courtroom where the defendant was arraigned.
Meanwhile, when a top official of the Nigerian Correctional centre made attempt to take the defendant into custody of the correctional seevice as ordered by the court, officials of the DSS resisted the move.
Officials of the DSS were seen pushing him off and ordering all journalists to move out of the viccinity while brandishing their guns.
All visitors to the court were seen running for safety.
After the faceoff between men of the DSS and NCoS, the defendant was eventually intercepted by the DSS when he stepped out of the court room and taken away in a police vehicle at about 3:15 pm.
It was not clear why the former CBN governor was taken away by the DSS but Emefiele’e Lawyer Joseph Daudu said the officer in charge of the DSS team said he had “Orders fro above” to bring Emefiele safely back to Abija”.
Commenting on the development, the NBA President, Yakubu Maikyau said in a statement from that “The court had admitted Mr. Godwin Emefiele to bail in respect of the offence of illegal possession of firearms.
“For daring to comply with the orders of the Federal High Court, officials of the Prisons were attacked by gun-totting officers of the SSS.
“This incident regrettably is further evidence of the lack of discipline and absence of professionalism that continues to plague key security institutions in Nigeria, which, without doubt, is largely responsible for the limited progress in achieving a coordinated response to security concerns across the country,” the statement partly read.
“The NBA further condemns the brazen disrespect for the sanctity of the court premises. The courts and judicial processes remain the barometer by which the conduct of persons or agencies of government are gauged in assessing the rule of law.
Femi Falan, SAN said “In view of the stern warning of President Tinubu that inter-agency physical attacks would not be permitted under his administration, the security officers who attacked officials of the Ikoyi Prisons ought to be fished out and sanctioned.’
“The federal government should also ensure that the orders of the Federal High Court are obeyed forthwith.’
The former governor of Ekiti state, Ayo Fayose also condemned the development in his Twitter handle. He said: “The DSS act of lawlessness at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos today, should be condemned by all lovers of democracy and rule of law in the country. It is painful that the DSS is yet to come to terms with the fact that the President of Nigeria today, is a product of struggles for democracy and won’t superintend over any act of lawlessness.”
“The actions of the DSS today, is no doubt bringing negative image to the Govt and I’m sure that President Tinubu will act swiftly to curb their excesses so that they don’t give his govt bad name just as they did to the immediate past government. This is a function of failed or power drunk leadership in the DSS. It’s time for the President to act.
“No doubt, I am not a fan of Emefiele actions as CBN Governor which threw Nigerians into untold hardships with the politically motivated change of Naira notes. However, it behoves on leaders of this country to speak out against acts capable of undermining democracy and rule of law.”
“Nigeria is under civil authority and security agencies, especially the DSS should be properly guided to purge themselves of this display of overzealousness.
“The DSS men that participated in today’s show of shame should be promptly brought to book. More so that it happened within the sacred premises of the court.
“Most importantly, restructuring of the Organization is imperative for a today Nigeria that is desirous of deepening democratic governance.”
BRANDPOWER reports that a legal practitioner and social critic, Inibehe Effiong also called out the DSS.
He said in a statement via his verified Twitter handle on Tuesdaythat the DSS went after Emefiele in flagrant violation of the order of the court that he should be remanded in the Correctional Centre.
This according to Effiong amounted to desecration of the court, alleging the service is a political and partisan tool in the hands of every occupant of Aso Rock.
He said “The SSS has recorded yet another point in its long list of infamy and impunity.
“The show of shame at the Federal High Court in Lagos is a vindication of those of us who have said time and again, that this so-called law enforcement agency is nothing but a political and partisan tool in the hands of every occupant of Aso Rock.”
“It is very disgusting to see the crude desecration of the Federal High Court in Lagos by the SSS. The Court ordered that Emefiele be remanded in the Correctional Centre, but the reckless and lawless SSS, in its usual character, went after Emefiele in flagrant violation of the order of the court.”
“Such despicable sights should not be tolerated in a constitutional democracy. Mr. Tinubu retained Mr. Bichi as the DG of the SSS because Bichi is always willing to deploy the agency to witch-hunt Tinubu’s perceived political foes.”
“When Godwin Emefiele was suspended as the CBN Governor, many Nigerians wrongly assumed that his suspension was aimed at holding him accountable for his terrible monetary policies and any infraction he may have committed under the corrupt Buhari regime.
“However, all that the government has been able to come up with so far are two ridiculous and dubious charges of illegal possession of firearms.
“While Asari Dokubo, who has publicly displayed an assault rifle, is busy raising a private army and walking freely, the SSS shamelessly went after Emefiele over possession of primitive guns.”
“Tinubu must accept responsibility for the invasion of the court. The Judiciary is now at the mercy of a lawless agency of executive arm of government.
“I call on the Judiciary to rise up and defend its integrity and independence.” Effiong concluded
Constitutional Lawyers have also condemned the DSS, calling for the suspension and arrest of the Director General of the agency, Yusuf Bichi.
The constitutional lawyers led by Barr. Tijani Ahmed in a statement called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to save democracy and the image of the judiciary by immediately ordering the arrest of DSS DG for the behaviour of his operatives.
In a statement the group said, “It’s a big shame and insult, that the judiciary arm of government was disrespected by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) who fought officials of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCS) over who would take custody of suspended Central Bank of Nigeria, Governor Godwin.
The statement added: “Over the months the DSS has been on rampage, first they disregarded court rulings barring them from arresting Emefiele. Again they disregarded court ruling ordering them to release him. Now they are disregarding court ruling ordering his release. At this point the secret police had proven to be a rogue agency with no regard for the rule of law.
“How can an agency of the government violate bail order? Not once , not twice!!! We call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to save democracy and image of the judiciary by immediately ordering the arrest of DSS DG for the rogue behaviour of his operatives. This cannot be allowed to continue. Also the DSS can’t rearrest Emefiele until he perfects his bail and released.” The group said
