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We’ve charged Emefiele to court, DSS claims
The Department of Security Services (DSS) says it has charged Godwin Emefiele, suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), to court, after holding him for weeks in custody without trial.
This comes after a federal capital territory high court ordered the DSS to charge Emefiele to court if they have criminal allegations against him.
Hamza Muazu, the presiding judge, had asked the service to release the former CBN governor on bail if he is not taken to a competent court within one week.
In a statement on Thursday, Peter Afunanya, spokesperson of the DSS, said the decision to charge Emefiele was in compliance with the court order.
“Sequel to an Abuja high court order of today, 13th July 2023, the Department of State Services (DSS) hereby confirms that Mr Godwin Emefiele has been charged to court in compliance with the Order,” the statement reads.
“The public may recall that the service had, in 2022, applied for a court order to detain him in respect of a criminal investigation.
“Though he obtained a restraining order from an FCT High Court, the Service, however, arrested him in June 2023, on the strength of suspected fresh criminal infractions/information, one of which forms the basis for his current prosecution.”
The DSS assured the public of “professionalism, justice and fairness” in handling the matter and in the discharge of its duties.
The secret police however failed to state the charges filed against Emefiele.
On June 9, President Bola Tinubu suspended Emefiele and asked him to transfer his responsibilities to Folashodun Adebisi Shonubi, deputy governor, operations directorate.
The day after, the DSS announced that Emefiele was in its custody for “some investigative reasons”.
