The African Centre for Justice and Human Rights (ACJHR), a civil society organization (CSO), has criticized the Department of State Services (DSS) for the rearrest of the suspended CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, on terrorism grounds. The ACJHR termed it as void and laughable, stating that a previous court judgment had already voided the terrorism allegations and barred the secret police from arresting him.
During the clash between the secret police and officials of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) over the custody of the embattled Apex Bank Chief, Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court in Lagos granted Emefiele bail in the sum of N20 million on Tuesday. Eventually, the DSS operatives took custody of Emefiele after a physical altercation.
In a statement issued by Mr. Abubakar Isa, the strategic communication consultant for the human rights organization, they found it absurd that an intelligence agency would rearrest someone based on claims that had already been ruled upon by a competent court of law.
The statement reads, “It’s laughable that a supposed Intelligence Agency, rearrested Emefiele on claims of something that has already been ruled on by a competent court of law. Is the DSS now saying that the judiciary is wrong, and incompetent and their judgment doesn’t matter so long as it doesn’t favor them?
“Months ago, Justice M. A. Hassan of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) restrained the Department of State Services (DSS) and four others from arresting or detaining Emefiele over alleged terrorism financing. The judge held that the DSS acted wrongfully and illegally in instigating President Muhammadu Buhari against Godwin Emefiele in respect of the exercise of his statutory duty relating to the issuance of monetary policies and directives in the interest of the National Security and economy.
“Again recently a High Court sitting in Abuja presided over by Justice Hamza Muazu ordered DSS to immediately release Emefiele, from detention or charge him to court. It’s clear that the secret police has a vendetta against Emefiele because despite several court rulings the operatives have refused to obey any and has continued to disrespect the judiciary. It’s a huge disgrace what happened at the federal high court Lagos yesterday. President Tinubu should not allow the DSS to tarnish his hard earned reputation as a world renowned democrat.”
