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Court Halts DSS Move To Arrest Emefiele Over Alleged Terror Link
A court has halted the DSS move to arrest Emefiele over an alleged link to terrorism.
Eko Hot Blog reports that a federal high court sitting in Abuja has refused to grant the Department of State Services (DSS) an application to arrest and detain the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.
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According to The Cable, the chief judge, Justice JT Tsoho, ruled that the secret police did not provide any concrete evidence to substantiate its claims that Emefiele was involved in terrorism financing and economic crimes.
Sources also told the news medium that the judge wasn’t impressed that the DSS did not take the CBN boss into confidence if there was any evidence to back the allegations.
“The honourable judge also wondered why the name of the respondent was given simply as ‘Godwin Emefiele’ without a material disclosure that he is the same person as the CBN governor, a highly ranking public official who occupies an extremely sensitive position,” a source told TheCable.
The court reportedly said such an application should have been accompanied with the presidential approval because of the grave implications for the Nigerian economy if the CBN governor is arrested and detained.
There are insinuations that the bid to arrest Emefiele might be political given the impact the redesign of the naira and limit on cash withdrawals might have on vote-buying in the 2023 elections.
Earlier on Monday, a group of civil society organisations raised the alarm that there was a plot to frame Emefiele for terrorism and remove him from office.
DSS officers
However, the DSS cautioned Nigerians against using “propaganda” to “undermine” its lawful investigations.
In a statement on Monday, DSS spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, said the secret police will continue to do its job without bias.
“As such, the Service will continue to disseminate actionable intelligence to the relevant authorities devoid of any sentiment,” the statement reads.
“While professionally discharging its mandate, the DSS pledges to remain focused and unbiased. It will not, by any means, succumb to propaganda, intimidation and the desperation of hirelings to undermine it.
“It will also not give room to the use of falsehood and deceit to misdirect public understanding and perceptions of issues of national importance.
“Given not to join issues, the Service warns those on a wild goose chase to be mindful of their actions. Similarly, it urges members of the public to disregard the vituperations and rantings of misguided elements and not allow themselves to be used as instruments of destabilisation.
“Notably, these elements should remember the famous axiom that ‘you will only deceive some people, some of the time, but not all people, all the time’.
“To put it succinctly, the Service will not be distracted by persons and/or groups from carrying out its duties to the Nation, citizens, and, President and Commander-in-Chief.”
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“The DSS spokesperson also threatened consequences against Nigerians interfere with its investigations, saying, “those who wish to act in the breach will be dealt with in accordance with the law.”
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