The Department of States, DSS, has told the Federal Capital Territory High Court that the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, is a flight risk and there is credible intelligence that “he is making frantic effort to flee the country if released prematurely on bail”.
Justice H. Muazu of the FCT High Court had on June 16 ordered the DSS to allow the suspended governor to be accessed by his lawyers, pending the determination of the fundamental rights application filed by his legal team represented by J.B. Daudu SAN.
Recall that President Bola Tinubu had on June 9 suspended the CBN governor from office, to enable investigation into allegations against him.
The CBN Deputy Governor, operations, Folashodun Adebisi Shonubi, was subsequently directed by the president to step in in acting capacity.
But at the resumed hearing on Tuesday, his legal team called for their client’s release from DSS detention while accusing the secret service of arresting him in a commando style and subjecting him to inhuman treatment.
The applicant also contended that the former CBN governor’s arrest was political and was connected to his monetary policies, including the redesign of the naira which was approved by former president Muhammadu Buhari.
But in a counter affidavit filed by its counsel, I. Awo, the DSS denied the allegation, maintaining that it remains apolitical and does not act in the interest of any political group or persons.
Awo further argued that the applicant was arrested over alleged breach of trust, among others.
“The applicant was arrested upon reasonable suspicion of committing acts which constitutes criminal breach of trust, incitement to violence, criminal misappropriation of public funds, economic sabotage, economic crimes of national security dimensions and undermining the security of Nigeria;” he said.
Awo further contended that upon the arrest of the applicant, a detention order was obtained from a court of competent jurisdiction to enable the agency keep him in lawful custody for 14 days having discovered that investigations into his office will take a little while to conclude.
Awo denied the applicant’s submission regarding solitary confinement, saying he has enjoyed unfettered access to good medication, dieting, his family and persons of his choice.
The DSS said that if the court grants the embattled governor bail, he will use his “enormous resources” to frustrate investigations against him and jeopardise exhibits it needs to prosecute him following his arraignment.
“That it will not be in the interest of justice and national security to grant the applicant’s application,” Awo said in his counter affidavit deposed to by Hamza Pandogari.
After hearing submissions of counsels, court adjourned to July 13 for ruling.
