Abuja Court Order, DSS Arraigns CBN Governor

By Ayodele Oni

In compliance with an Abuja High Court order, which mandated the Department of State Services (DSS) to either release the detained Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, or charge him to court, the DSS has complied with his arraignment in court on Thursday.

Justice Hamza  Muazu of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory FCT had, on Thursday, issued a one week ultimatum to the DSS to either charge the detained suspended Governor of the CBN  to Court, or set him free.

The Judge issued the order while delivering ruling in a fundermental human rights suit instituted against the DSS and others by Emefiele.

Justice Muazu held that the DSS has power to carry out its Constitutional duties of making arrest, detain and ensuring prevention of internal crime but however said that such duties must be carried out within the ambit of the law

Emefiele was suspended from office by President Bola Tinubu in June 2023 on suspicion of financial crimes, including terrorism financing and money laundering. He was subsequently arrested by the DSS.

In a press release on Thursday, the DSS said that Emefiele has been charged to court in compliance with the order of the Abuja High Court today.

The release, signed by spokesman of the Service, Peter Afunanya, states that “Sequel to an Abuja High Court Order of today, 13th July, 2023, the Department of State Services (DSS) hereby confirms that Mr Godwin Emefiele has been charged to court in compliance with the Order.

“The public may recall that the Service had, in 2022, applied for a Court Order to detain him in respect of a criminal investigation.

“Though he obtained a restraining order from an FCT High Court, the Service, however, arrested him in June, 2023, on the strength of suspected fresh criminal infractions/information, one of which forms the basis for his current prosecution.

“The Service assures the public of professionalism, justice and fairness in handling this matter and indeed the discharge of its duties within the confines of the law.”