DSS mum as Emefiele remains in custody after five days

Central Bank of Nigeria CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele
Godwin Emefiele

The Department of State Services (DSS) is yet to charge the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele to court five days after arresting him.

Emefiele was taken into custody last Saturday in Lagos and flown immediately with a private jet to Abuja.

DSS spokesman Peter Afunanya said Emefiele was in the secret police’s custody for investigative reasons.

This came after President Bola Tinubu ordered his immediate suspension and handover of duties to the CBN’s director of operations.

It was gathered that Emefiele was taken in on allegations of terrorism and financial impropriety at the apex bank.

Last December, the DSS tried to get a court order to arrest the him over alleged “acts of financing terrorism, fraudulent activities and economic crimes of national security dimension.”

But the court refused to grant the request on the ground that the DSS did not provide any evidence to substantiate its claims that Emefiele was involved in terrorism financing and economic crimes.

Speaking on the delay in charging Emefiele to court, a source told The Nation on Thursday: “This is a sensitive matter and I cannot say much. But the DSS is working to ensure it establishes a watertight case on this matter. Investigations are ongoing. I can’t say more for now. Let us watch and see how it unfolds.”