Emefiele: Respect Rule Of Law, N/Delta Group Urges SSS

A group, the Niger Delta Rights Advocates has called for respect of the rule of law in the handling of the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.

The group, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Saturday, signed by its national coordinator, Bright Ngolo and made available to newsmen said the manner Emefiele was picked up by men of the Department of State Services suggested abduction.

Ngolo noted that there was an extant court order restraining the DSS, the EFCC and others from arresting Emefiele.

He further said respect for him will prove that democracy has taken root in the country, saying anything contrary was to undermine it.

The statement reads, “The reports we have is that operatives of the DSS stormed the Lagos residence of Dr. Godwin Emefiele at the dead of the night (2 am), blindfolded him, and forcefully took him away in a manner suggestive of abduction.

“As Rights Advocates, we should not live in a nation where all manner of Gestapo-style arrests will be made in the name of getting people to question them or account for perceived misdeeds.

“It is clear that Mr. Emefiele could be invited for questioning at any time since no Nigerian is above the law.

“However, we are also concerned with the fact that there is a judgement by a competent court in suit no GAR/CV/41/2022 instituted by the Incorporated Trustees of the Forum for Accountability and Good Leadership wherein Justice M.A. Hassan barred the DSS, Attorney General of the Federation, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Central Bank of Nigeria, who are listed as 1st, 2bd and 5th defendants from arresting Godwin Emefiele.

“Our call for the authorities to respect the rule of law by challenging and setting aside Justice Hassan’s judgement has nothing to do with the propriety or otherwise of his removal from office as CBN Governor.”

Continuing, “The NDRA wants the due process of the law to be followed in pursuing the Emefiele case rather than painting the picture of repression of the rule of law. ”

The group alleged that some state governments, particularly Rivers state has had a judgement from the Court that barred the EFCC from arresting officials of the state government.

“And up till date, the EFCC has failed to vacate that judgement and equally failed to investigate the monumental regime of entrenched fraud in the running of the state in the past 8yrs.

“We call on all agencies of government, therefore, to respect the rule of law as a confirmation that democracy has taken root in our country.

“And no institution or agency of government can just wake up and overreach its bounds,” the NDRA national coordinator stated.