Sophia Michaels
A socio-cultural group, the Arewa Youths Movement has condemned the action of the Department of State Services after it rearrested suspended CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
Arewa Youths said the basis for his rearrest is baseless, void and a contemptuous violation of the court judgment.
The secret police and officials of the Nigerian Correctional Service, NCoS on Tuesday clashed over the agency’s move to take custody of the suspended Apex Bank Chief after Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court in Lagos admitted Emefiele to bail in the sum of 20 million.
Eventually the operatives of the secret police took custody of Emefiele after the physical fight.
The group, in a statement issued by its leader, Kabiru Yusuf, on Wednesday recalled that months ago, Justice M. A. Hassan of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT restrained the DSS and four others from arresting or detaining Emefiele over alleged terrorism financing.
He also recalled that the judge held that the DSS acted wrongfully and illegally in instigating the then President Muhammadu Buhari against 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.
He further recalled a recent ruling in which an FCT High Court Judge, Justice Hamza Muazu, ordered DSS to immediately release Emefiele from detention.
He emphasised that the rearrest by DSS on grounds of terrorism was baseless and contemptuous violation of earlier court judgements voiding terrorism allegations.
He appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately suspend the DSS DG, Yusuf Bichi, for constantly assaulting the judiciary and disregarding the rule of law.
Arewa youths said: “The DSS rearrest of Emefiele on grounds of terrorism is baseless and contemptuous violation of earlier court judgement voiding terrorism allegations. An agency that has refused at several occasions to respect court rulings. One of the highlights of President Tinubu’s first meeting with the security chiefs was his warning that he won’t tolerate them working at ‘cross purposes’.
“What the DSS is doing is criminal. They are acting like they are above the law. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu acts now and shows that he’s a true Democrat before this agency becomes unruly.”
