Controversy Over Godwin Emefiele’s Whereabouts As DSS Threatens To Arrest Him

The whereabouts of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, has sparked controversy after the Department of State Services (DSS) tried to arrest him.

CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele Wanted By DSS

The DSS had reportedly filed a suit on December 7, 2022, seeking to arrest the CBN governor over allegations bothering on “acts of financing terrorism, fraudulent activities and economic crimes of national security dimension.”

It was gathered that Emefiele left Nigeria before Christmas when the DSS attempted to arrest him, but his leave expired on Sunday, January 15, according to TheCable.

The publication reported that Emefiele spent the first part of his leave in the US, and was in the UK until Sunday evening from where he flew back to Nigeria and arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Monday morning, January 16.

CBN sources said that Emefiele presided over a number of meetings immediately after he reported to the office, following his return to the country.

But Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana told Channels Television that the CBN governor has not returned to the country

Falana said, “I can say without any fear of contradiction that Mr Godwin Emefiele is not in Nigeria; he hasn’t returned to the country because he has been declared wanted by the state security services.

“If you have the evidence that he has committed the offence alleged, you don’t need a court order to arrest him and that is the law. And by the way, no court in Nigeria or anyway has the power to confer immunity on any citizen… If you are not one of the 74 people who are entitled to immunity in Nigeria; that is the President, the Vice President, the governors, and deputy governors, no other person can enjoy immunity.

“So, you can’t say don’t arrest a citizen if there is reasonable suspicion that he has committed an offence. So, I expect the State Security Service 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 defence.”

This comes a few weeks after a Federal High Court in Abuja barred the DSS from arresting, inviting, or detaining Godwin Emefiele, declaring the terrorism allegations against the CBN governor by the DSS as vindictive, callous, oppressive, void and of no effect.