Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, says the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, has not returned to the country following allegations of terrorism financing levelled against him by the Department of State Services (DSS).


“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,” Falana said on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.

“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
The secret police had approached an Abuja court to arrest Emefiele over alleged terrorism financing and economic crimes of national security but Justice Maryam Hassan of the Federal Capital Territory High Court Abuja quashed the move by the DSS.

The judge thereafter barred the DSS from arresting, inviting, or detaining Emefiele declaring the terrorism allegations against the CBN governor by the DSS as vindictive, callous, oppressive, void and of no effect.

However, Falana on Sunday said the DSS does not need a court order to arrest the CBN governor if the Service has concrete evidence against him. He urged the DSS to proceed to arrest Emefiele upon his arrival in Nigeria, noting that the apex bank governor is not one of those constitutionally entitled to immunity in Nigeria.

Falana described as embarrassing the allegations against Emefiele by the DSS, saying this can only happen in a Banana Republic where the governor of the apex bank would be accused of a grave offence of terrorism financing.


“Has the government considered the enormous implication of the effect of a wanted governor of the central bank on the economy?

“I am completely flabbergasted that the President of the country has not intervened; either to call the state security to order or to call Mr Emefiele to return to the country or be fired,” the senior lawyer said.

He recalled that Emefiele’s predecessor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi was also accused of terrorism financing in 2014 but won the case.

“These guys play on our collective intelligence because they know we are very forgetful. In 2014, his (Emefiele’s) immediate predecessor, former Emir of Kano, Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, was equally accused of terrorism financing.
In the same way, he (Sanusi) also travelled out of the country to attend a meeting with the governors of the central banks of West Africa in Niamey, Niger Republic.

“As soon as he landed in Lagos, he was arrested, and his passport was seized,” Falana said.

The senior lawyer said Sanusi won the case and the court awarded N50m compensation in favour of Sanusi.

Falana stressed that the allegation of terrorism financing against Emefiele should not be dismissed.

God1000:
This is serious, CBN governor should come and prove his innocence instead of hiding.

But DSS should respect the court order first.

What is Buhari saying about this whole saga?

Jogs1900:

Falana said the court can't grant him immunity as he's not among the 74 people that can enjoy immunity in Nigeria constitutionally.

God1000:
But does that mean the DSS has the authority to countermand the ruling by the federal high court?

God1000:
But does that mean the DSS has the authority to countermand the ruling by the federal high court?

Brendaniel:
Emefiele goes no where, you can't support him for 8 years to punish Nigerians then arrest him for punishing a few politicians for just 3 months.

Emefiele till Peter Obi is sworn in

Iamgrey5:
How does this Cashless policy target politicians that have access to mutiple Business accounts?

The cashless economy will Target the informal sector of Nigeria which accounts for nearly 50% of employment for ordinarily Nigerians.

It will affect your farmers, market traders and many more who will now have to struggle to complete a simple transaction.

ubest1:
APC fighting dirty to force another fake president on us, next will be INEC chairman

Jogs1900:

I don't understand how this currency change will work...Most of us in the cities are yet to set our eyes on the new notes talkless of those in the villages.Jan 31st deadline is not possible again.

Iamgrey5:
How does this Cashless policy target politicians that have access to mutiple Business accounts?

The cashless economy will Target the informal sector of Nigeria which accounts for nearly 50% of employment for ordinarily Nigerians.

It will affect your farmers, market traders and many more who will now have to struggle to complete a simple transaction.

Jogs1900:

Hmnn....I think the court too erred by ruling that the DSS can't arrest him...I think the court can't ask DSS not to do it's work by investigating someone...I believe a higher court will upturn the judgement...The law needs to be tested...

Brendaniel:


It's just for a period, it will affect political riggers way more, after the election DSS can do whatever they want to do with Emefiele....

Iamgrey5:
How exactly will it affect them?

The Same men that control majority of Nigerian banks by proxy?

Brendaniel:


You don't get it, do you, we are talking about vote buying on election day, how many Almajiris have bank account for transfer, how many people will want to receive bank transfer for vote buying, how many transactions can be done as quick as cash payment during the election timing, how many failed transactions due to network and so on that will cause fights in various polling units, the vote buyers obviously know this is a disaster waiting for them if they are banking on Vote buying.

Cash payment still remains the, easiest, quickest and safest means of vote buying for both the buyer and the seller.

Brendaniel:


The question is why is the DSS looking for him?

Iamgrey5:
Politicians already have access to it, they are keeping it for elections, while some nincompoop are celebrating Emeifele for making life a little difficult for them.

Brendaniel:
Emefiele goes no where, you can't support him for 8 years to punish Nigerians then arrest him for punishing a few politicians for just 3 months.

Emefiele till Peter Obi is sworn in

Iamgrey5:
You don't get it

Majority of this politicians control the banks and have access to mutiple Business accounts which they can draw multiple 5million from in a instant.

Many vote buying is actually done at the ward level anyway. Hence, many politicians don't even need to withdraw 2bn at once for vote buying.

There's no central bank official in the world that will tell you that the banks has any tool to stop vote buying, rigging or corruption because it's not there job.

It's just wishful thinking

Jogs1900:

We all know a CBN governor is not meant to be partisan.The moment he declared for presidency, any decision he takes will be viewed from the political angle....This alone is enough for him to step aside if he has integrity.. Among the reasons DSS gave was terrorism financing.He has so many dirt's on him already.Hes not clean and the DSS knows about it.

Brendaniel:


The new currency that has been printed is not enough to do that, Emefiele is caging big spenders, currencies are printed in batch, sometimes it takes months or years before a new batch is printed again, no matter how you want to circulate this present batch it cannot achieve what the cite buyers want to do, as I am talking to you do you know how much of the new currency with me, not because you ate Tinubu or Atiku means that all the new currency will be taken and given to them because of election.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vanguardngr.com/2022/12/naira-redesign-we-ordered-500-million-copies-from-minting-company-emefiele/amp/

Do the maths of 500 million copies of the new currency against a population of over 200 million people.

CBN is not printing a new batch anytime soon, that is why they cut down withdrawal limits for new currency to each invidual so it can go round.

Brendaniel:


The question is why is the DSS looking for him?

Iamgrey5:


@embolden are 200 million people heading to the polls?

And why do you think the you haven't seen enough of the currency till date?

I would be surprised if more than 40 million people vote on election day self.

BeardGangJnr1:

If u had read the article, u won't be asking this question....cus it's clearly stated up there

Brendaniel:


That is what I am saying, 200 million people are not heading to the polls but 200 million will need the money to spend, that means each Nigerian cannot hold more 2 of the new currency to spend, then do you know how much of the new note will be required for vote buying on election day, money that has circulated already that some are doing tiktok challenge washing it up and down....

Brendaniel:


And for 8 years he wasn't wanted for almost all the same atrocities except for buying presidential form, haven't Nigerians in the past called for his sack, did the DSS answer Nigerians, even when he bought presidential form did they asnswer Nigerians who called for his sack, now he changed a single policy and DSS is everywhere looking for him.

We know better...