Buhari’s silence over DSS, Emefiele faceoff embarrassing — Falana

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana has described President Muhammadu Buhari’s silence over the faceoff between the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Department of State Security.

It would be recalled that the DSS had approached a federal high court in Abuja seeking a warrant to arrest Emefiele over allegations that he was involved in terrorism financing and economic crimes.

J.T Tsoho, the chief judge, declined the application and held that the secret police did not provide any concrete evidence to substantiate its claims.

There were suggestions that the bid to arrest Emefiele might be political given the impact the redesign of the naira and limit on cash withdrawals might have on vote-buying in the elections.

Speaking on Sunday Politics, a Channels Television programme, Falana, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said it is “flabbergasted” that President Muhammadu Buhari has not called the DSS to order.

He said the secret police should file a proper charge against Emefiele so that he could enter into defense.

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“I can say without fear or contradiction that Godwin Emefiele is not in Nigeria, he hasn’t returned to the country because he has been quietly declared wanted by the State Security Service (SSS),” Falana said.

“This can only happen in a banana republic where the governor of the CBN will be accused of a grave offense of terrorism financing. The details are not stipulated, they are not outlined. These guys play on our collective intelligence because they know we are very forgetful.

“You can’t raise such a serious allegation against a governor of the CBN and then pretend that nothing has happened. Has the government considered the enormous implications of the effect of a wanted governor of the CBN on the economy?

“I expect the SSS to come out with the allegations, and if Mr Emefiele is not going to return to the country, file a charge in the federal high court so that he can get his lawyers and prepare his defense.

Meanwhile, a former Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Adetokunbo Kayode, and five other senior advocates of Nigeria (SAN) have asked Abubakar Malami to prevent the Department of State Services (DSS) from arresting Godwin Emefiele.

The other SANs, who wrote under the aegis of Incorporated Trustees of Forum for Accountability and Good Leadership, included Oba Maduabuchi, Emeka Ozoani, M.M Nurudeen, Abdul Mohammed, and Emeka Obegolu.

In the letter dated January 6, the senior advocates urged Malami, the current AGF, to ensure the DSS abides by the court orders.