A coalition of lawyers operating under the banner of Lawyers in Defence of Democracy (LDD) has strongly criticized the repeated use of baseless accusations by the Department of State Security Services (DSS) to unjustly detain Emefiele, particularly the latest charges alleging a breach of contract procurement law.
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The legal professionals have thus urged President Bola Tinubu to promptly dismiss Yusuf Magaji Bichi, the Director General of the DSS, for involving the agency in matters that lie outside its jurisdiction.
“Mallam Bichi’s removal is imperative due to his mismanagement of the organization’s operations, leading to a perceived deviation from its designated mandate,” stated the lawyers’ spokesperson, Ahmed Yusuf Tijani.
This stance has arisen in response to the DSS’s involvement in the arrest and subsequent charges brought against Mr. Godwin Emefiele, the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The lawyers consider the recently filed 20-count charges against Emefiele to be politically motivated and a clear example of forum shopping. They express bewilderment at the DSS’s apparent departure from its core responsibility of internal security to delve into matters concerning vehicle procurement.
In an address to journalists following the halted arraignment of the former CBN governor, Tijani emphasized the need for President Tinubu to evaluate the operational framework of the DSS. Tijani commented, “We were present to witness the arraignment of the suspended CBN governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele. On July 25, 2023, we were at the Ikoyi Federal High Court in Lagos, where the DSS arraigned the former CBN governor on charges related to illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. We condemned the arraignment and the charges, as we clarified that the gun in question was a dane gun.”
He further asserted, “It appears that the DSS has lost sight of its constitutional and statutory obligations. The DSS was instituted to handle matters pertaining to internal security and counter-terrorism. Yet, they are now presenting charges concerning procurement issues. This mockery of the judicial process cannot be tolerated. The DSS seems to be pursuing varying agendas, making it evident that they have veered off track from their original purpose. We call upon President Bola Tinubu to reevaluate the DSS’s operational approach. Their lack of focus is glaring.”
The coalition of lawyers additionally urged the newly appointed Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, to scrutinize the DSS’s actions. They recalled Fagbemi’s commitment to justice sector reforms and censure of executive overreach during his National Assembly screening. The lawyers believe that the AGF can play a pivotal role in restoring the DSS to its rightful role.
Member of the coalition, Okere Kingdom, recounted how last December, the DSS had falsely implicated Emefiele in financing terrorism and subverting national security. Kingdom emphasized that the DSS’s actions appeared politically motivated.
In conclusion, the coalition implored the DSS to set an example by publicly disclosing its audited procurement records for operational vehicles.
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