BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja
The suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele is currently cooling off in the custody of the secret police.
He was arrested on Saturday, June 10, 2023, by the Department of State Services (DSS) for some investigative reasons.
News Rider reports that President Bola Tinubu had on Friday night suspended Emefiele from office with immediate effect.
His suspension was contained in a statement by the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
It was revealed that Emefiele was ousted following an ongoing investigation of his office and the planned reforms in the financial sector.
Emefiele was directed to immediately hand over the affairs of his office to the Deputy Governor of Operations Directorate, Adebisi Shonubi.
Shonubi would act as the CBN governor pending the conclusion of the investigation and reforms.
But the Public Relations Officer of DSS, Dr Peter Afunanya confirmed Emefiele's arrest on Saturday in Abuja via a statement as well as in the agency’s Twitter handle.
He enjoined the public, particularly the media, to apply utmost caution in the reportage and narratives concerning the arrest.
Emefiele was appointed as the CBN governor in 2014, following the suspension of Lamido Sanusi by former President Goodluck Jonathan, few months before the expiration of his tenure.
Emefiele's Tussle
However, Emefiele's current predicament may not be unconnected with the series of discovery and protest during the tenure of immediate past President, Muhammadu Buhari.
News Rider reported that in December 19, 2022, thousands of protesters occupied the Federal High Court Abuja and other strategic locations following the discovery of a hidden suit by the State Security Service (SSS) to arrest and charge Emefiele of terrorism financing.
This was even as the protesters drummed support for the cash withdrawal limit introduced by the CBN.
The protesters comprised of Buhari Legacy Defenders, Arewa Youth Consultative Movement, Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo Youth Movement, African Centre for Justice and Human Rights, Ethnic youth Leaders, Political Parties Chairmen Forum, and Lawyers in Defence of Economic rights and Justice.
They marched to the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice where they submitted a petition against the action of the SSS, just as they requested for the sack of DG of SSS, Mr. Yusuf Magaji Bichi.
The protesters wore crested t-shirts, face caps and carried placards with inspirations such as: "We stand with Buhari's Economic Policies. No to Plan to Undermine Buhari Govt", "Bursted, Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2255/2022, DSS Files Secret Suit to Arrest CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, Detain Him for Two Months and Remove him from Office."
Recall that the CBN had in December 7, 2022, announced a new monetary policy by pegging the minimum cash withdrawal for individuals and organisations to N100, 000 and N500, 000 weekly respectively. The new policy took effect from January 9, 2023.
The protesters were drawn from 27 different communities in Abuja such as Mabushi, Utako, Mpape, Bwari, Katampe, Jahi I & II, Jabi, Central Business District, Maitama, among others.
They also submitted a similar letter to the offices of the immediate past President, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Inspector General of Police, among others.
The Convener of the Coalition, Tochukwu Ohazuruike, stated that the SSS secretly approached the Federal High Court Abuja, and filed an exparte application against the CBN Governor where they accused him of being a terrorist.
He noted that its shocking and shameful for the SSS to fabricate such bogus charges only in a bid to force an innocent man out of office.
"It has taken us some time, diligent and careful monitoring and resources to discover that on the 7th December, 2022, a Motion was filed in the FCT High Court with the major target of getting the CBN Governor out of office. The Motion had suit number M/294/2022.
“On the same 7th December, 2022 another Exparte application was secretly filed at the Federal High Court Abuja this time directly by the State Security Service", he added.
But in January 11, 2023, the embattled Emefiele reportedly sneaked into Nigeria, having travelled out for several weeks following the investigation and allegations of corruption and terrorism financing against him by the DSS.
DSS had sought a court order to arrest the CBN Governor over alleged acts of terrorism financing, fraudulent activities and economic crimes of national security dimension.
The application marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2255/2022, was dated December 7, 2022.
It was filed ex parte meaning that Mr Emefiele was not notified of the suit, just as he would stand as the sole defendant.
But the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, on December 9 rejected the application on the grounds that the DSS failed to provide sufficient evidence to issue an arrest warrant against the CBN governor.
It was reported by an online news platform, Premium Times that Emefiele got the permission of former President Muhammadu Buhari to embark on two weeks leave, which expired on Tuesday, 10 January, 2023.
“His holidays finished on Tuesday so he has to report to work on Wednesday,” the paper added.
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