John Tosho, the chief judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, reportedly declined an application filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) to arrest the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele over allegations of terrorism financing.
In an earlier development, coalition of united political parties (CUPP) and a coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSO) had gathered to protest the alleged plot to arrest Governor Emefiele at a press conference in Abuja on Monday.
Coordinator of the CUPP, Tochukwu Ohazurike, who led other CSOs for the protest against alleged witch-hunt of the CBN boss, told journalists that the application by the DSS for the arrest of Emefiele was rejected by the Chief Judge who observed it to be irregular.
Ohazurike disclosed that a suit had been filed with case number FHC/ABJ/CS/2255/2022 at the Federal High Court with the intention of getting a court order to keep Emefiele out of circulation.
The secret police, however failed in its mission as the court declined its application.
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Quoting ruling of the Chief Judge on the application, Ohazurike said, “It is noted that it has been the practice of the applicant to seek the detention of a respondent from under detention for a definite time period when such a respondent is already arrested and is in their custody and that fact is clearly disclosed in the supporting affidavit. That is not the situation here.
“Godwin Emefiele, the governor of CBN was shown on television last night having audience with the President of Nigeria. It is therefore seen that the applicant wants to use this order for an irregular procedure which is unacceptable,” the judge affirmed in declining the order to arrest Emefiele.
CUPP stated that announcing a plot to frame Emefiele of terrorism financing, arrest him and keep him away for 60 days by the DSS was being sponsored by some top politicians in the country to make Emefiele rescind the cash withdrawal policy recently announced by the apex bank.
Ohazurike further lamented saying the plot was aimed at derailing the naira redesign policy that would have been effected on December 7 shortly after the court order but for the fact that Emefiele travelled with President Muhammadu Buhari to the United States.
Naming a presiding officer of the National Assembly and a presidential candidate of a major political party as part of the plot against Emefiele, CUPP alleged that DSS officials had surrounded the venue of the press conference.
“It is shocking that the DG of DSS accused a man of terrorism financing and allowed him to travel with the president,” Ohazurike said.
