There are indications that Godwin Emefiele, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has returned to Nigeria close to a month stayed put in the US after where he travelled on official trip with President Muhammadu.
TheCable, reports that the CBN boss ruturned to Nigeria on Monday morning and is now back at his office in Abuja, amid speculations that he is on the wanted list of the Department of State Services, which recently sought his arrest and detention on allegations of sponsoring terrorism.
The nation’s number one banker, was said to have used the trip, which coincided with his leave to take care of his health, and with its expiration on Sunday, January 15, returned to the country, even with his issue dominating some levels of public commentaries in recent times.
A group of five Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) led by Adetokumbo Kayode, had written a letter to the Attorney General of the Federation urging him to stay the hands of the DSS from arresting him, warning of grave consequences.
On his own part, Femi Falana, human rights activist, took the matter to President Muhammadu Buhari, wondering why the President was not moving to protect the CBN boss, believed to be hounded by his recent monetary policies, believed to have hit some politicians bent on influencing next month’s general elections on their underbellies.
The paper reports that Emefiele, had spent the first part of his leave in the US and was in the UK until Sunday evening from where he flew back to Nigeria and arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Monday morning and that he presided over a number of meetings immediately he reported to office.
The DSS had approached a federal high court in Abuja seeking a warrant to arrest him over allegations that he was involved in terrorism financing and economic crimes.
In declining the motion ex parte — usually filed by an applicant in the absence of the respondent — Justice JT Tsoho, the chief judge, said the secret police did not provide any concrete evidence to substantiate its claims.
There were suggestions that the bid to arrest Emefiele might be political given the impact the redesign of the naira and limit on cash withdrawals might have on vote-buying in the 2023 elections.
A group of civil society organisations raised the alarm that there was a plot to frame Emefiele for terrorism and remove him from office.
However, the DSS swiftly warned against anyone being used to “undermine” its investigations, although it did not specifically name Emefiele.
Peter Afunanya, DSS spokesperson, said the service would not be distracted by those seeking to use “propaganda” to undermine its lawful investigations.
A federal capital territory (FCT) high court sitting in Maitama later issued an order restraining the DSS from arresting the CBN governor.
The restraining order was issued by M.A. Hassan, the presiding judge.
