A civil society organization, Justice for All Group, has asked President Bola Tinubu to order the Department of State Service (DSS) to release the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The group in a statement signed by its director of press, Francis T. Nyame, said that the DSS is not above the law and that it has no right to disobey the law of the country by continuing to detain Emefiele.
He said, “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 taxpayers’ 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 across 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, a threat to national security.”
