Why I’m Shocked About Detention Of Emefiele By DSS – Olisa Agbakoba

Why I’m Shocked About Detention Of Emefiele By DSS – Olisa Agbakoba

A former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olisa Agbakoba, has expressed shock about the detention of the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, by the Department of State Security (DSS).

In a statement Saturday, Ogbakoba said Mr Emefiele’s suspension was understandable, but added that the confirmation of DSS that the suspended CBN governor was in its custody “comes as a shock”.

Mr Agbakoba, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), in a short press statement, wondered which role CBN would play in the matter.

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“The suspension of the Governor of the CBN from office is not a surprise as his tenure was way beyond monetary policy. But confirmation by DSS that Governor Emefiele is in its custody comes as a shock.

“The statutory role of DSS is internal security, and I shudder to think what role DSS will play in this matter. The rule of law says it all – can the relevant agency responsible for Governor Ememfiele step forward, but this excludes the DSS, unless this has security implications,” the statement read.

Mr Emefiele was, on Saturday, taken into custody by Nigeria’s secret police, the DSS, hours after President Bola Tinubu suspended him from office.

“The Department of State Services (DSS) hereby confirms that Mr Godwin Emefiele, the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), is now in its custody for some investigative reasons,” Peter Afunanya, the spokesperson for the agency, said in a press statement.

Mr Afunanya did not provide details of when and how Mr Emefiele was arrested and where he was being kept.

Reports, however, indicated that the apex bank chief was picked up from his home in Lagos and then flown to Abuja guarded by a detachment of operatives.

He was then driven to the DSS’ headquarters in the Asokoro District of the nation’s capital where reports said he was being quizzed.