Group Clamours for Emefiele’s Release, Says DSS Not Above the Law 

Precious Ugwuzor 

Justice for All Group, a social advocacy group, yesterday intensified clamour for the release of former Central Bank Governor, Dr Godwin Emefiele, from the custody of the Department of State Security (DSS).

In a press release made available to THISDAY, the group through Mr  Francis T. Nyame, Director of Press, said the DSS is not above the law, thus it has no right to disobey the law of the country by continuing to detain the former CBN governor after he was suspended on June 9, 2023 by President Bola Tinubu. 

After initial denial, the DSS announced on June 10 that Emefiele was in its custody for “some investigative reasons”.

The statement read in part, “Eminent lawyers and civil society organisations agree that Emefiele’s arrest and  detention is illegal and a nullity. So, we are demanding that he should be allowed to go home without further delay and drama.

“From the conduct of the DSS, it is obvious that it has no justifiable reason to arrest Emefiele in the first place. The charge for illegal possession of firearms could be described as spurious and pathetic; it is an afterthought. Nobody can buy that for a penny. It’s disrespect to the intelligence community.

“For crying out loud, we are talking about the former governor of the CBN. Non-state actors are parading all manner of weapons on television and elsewhere and they have not been arrested. Come to think of it, can’t the police or the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC)  handle it without the drama the DSS displayed.

“What it simply means is that the DSS has been searching for a reason to justify the illegal arrest and detention of the former governor of the CBN. The DSS has merely been blowing hot air. It has no credible evidence of crime against the man. 

“Even if he was arrested for a crime, the law requires that he should be arraigned before a competent court of jurisdiction within hours but the DSS has not done so.

” Emefiele’s arrest and detention is a clear affront to the rule of law and in breach of his fundamental human rights considering that there is a subsisting order of the court barring the Service from arresting or detaining Emefiele. 

“In view of Emefiele’s persecution, these questions beg for answers: Has it become a crime to serve your fatherland? Why should a citizen be detained in perpetuity? 

“Again, the DSS is wasting tax payers’ money considering that a plane was chartered with which Emefiele was flown from Lagos to Abuja even as many Nigeria cannot food and transport fare. What is happening to Emefiele comes cross as a political witch hunt. It reminds one of the Sambo Dasuki experience and it is certainly not in the interest of this government.

“However, this is an opportunity for Tinubu to prove to the world that he is a true democrat. He should grab the opportunity and make a profound statement. He should order the DSS to release Emefiele.

“Emefiele had sought an order barring the DSS whether by themselves, agents, officers, staff or privies from arresting, detaining, further detaining or proceeding against, breaching or interfering with his rights to personal liberty and freedom of movement or taking any other steps against him in furtherance of or in connection with any allegation of terrorism financing, fraudulent practices, money laundering, round tripping, threat to national security.”