In a shocking development, the Department of State Services (DSS) has accused the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, of involvement in terrorism financing. The DSS reportedly arrested Emefiele yesterday following his suspension from office. However, Dr. Peter Afunanya, the spokesperson for the DSS, declined to confirm the arrest, stating that he was unable to provide any confirmation at the moment.
According to a report by LEADERSHIP, Emefiele has been linked to a well-known terror financier, whose identity has not been disclosed. The DSS claims that Emefiele was not only involved in terrorism financing but also engaged in various fraudulent activities and economic crimes of national security significance. The allegations against him are grave, and he is expected to answer for his alleged crimes.
The DSS had previously attempted to arrest Emefiele, but their efforts were thwarted when a Federal High Court in Abuja issued an order restraining them from taking him into custody. This order also applies to other defendants listed in the case, including the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the CBN.
In an earlier ruling, another Federal High Court in Abuja denied the DSS’s application to arrest and detain Emefiele. The Chief Judge, Justice J. T. Tsoho, stated that the DSS failed to provide concrete evidence to substantiate their claims of Emefiele’s involvement in terrorism financing and economic crimes.
Upon his return to Nigeria after a prolonged absence, Emefiele was accompanied by military personnel and intelligence officers to ensure his safety and prevent any attempted arrests by the DSS. He made his way to his office at the CBN headquarters under heavy military protection.
It is worth mentioning that Emefiele had expressed presidential aspirations and initially intended to contest the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress. However, he faced opposition, both within the CBN and from other quarters. In an attempt to secure his eligibility to run for office, Emefiele sought a court order from the Delta State High Court to restrain the CBN and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from preventing him from participating in the presidential election. Eventually, he withdrew his bid after realizing that he would have to resign from his position at the CBN to participate in the ruling party’s primary election.