National
Emefiele Will Run Away If Granted Bail– DSS Tells Court
By Sola Omoniyi, Lagos
Godwin Emefiele, the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, would leave the country if granted bail, the Department of State Services informed the Federal Capital Territory High Court on Tuesday.
The Attorney General of the Federation agreed with the DSS’s position and labelled Emefiele a “flight risk.”
The DSS has been holding the former head of the apex bank without allowing him to visit his family or solicitors, and he is contesting this decision.
Recall that Emefiele was suspended by President Bola Tinubu and subsequently detained by the DSS on Saturday, June 10, 2023.
At the resumption of the hearing on Tuesday, both DSS and OAGF stated these in separate counter-affidavits filed in a fundamental rights enforcement suit by the suspended CBN chief.
In its affidavit, the OAGF dismissed the speculation that Emefiele was being held for terrorist-related crimes. It also said he was not being victimised for his involvement in politics and the botched naira redesign policy.
The OAGF said: “Issues of terrorism financing and fraudulent activities are not part of the grounds for the arrest and detention of the applicant.
The DSS, on its part, said that Emefiele was being held under an order of a competent court.
It added that the suspended CBN boss was arrested “upon reasonable suspicion of committing acts which constitute a criminal breach of trust, incitement to violence, criminal misappropriation of public funds, economic sabotage, economic crimes of national security dimension and undermining the security of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Tijani Gazal, who represented the OAGF, urged the court to dismiss the suit, arguing that Emefiele’s allegation of unlawful detention was unfounded.
Gazali said the suspended CBN governor was being detained on the order of an FCT Chief Magistrates Court.
After entertaining arguments from parties, Justice Hamza Muazu adjourned until July 13 for a ruling.
