Five Reasons DSS Would Want To Arrest Emefiele

Following the Abuja High Court’s motion to stop the Department of State Services (DSS) from arresting the CBN’s Governor, Godwin Emefiele, The Eagle has sighted possible reasons that warranted the move.

News making rounds have revealed the Department of State Services, DSS instigated an arrest warrant over the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele.

Accompanied by speculations, this has not had a solid backing with reasons thrust out by the DSS, however, The Eagle believes there are hidden clues within the viral information at disposal.

Thus, we have highlighted five reasons the DSS Would Want To Arrest Emefiele:

Alleged Terrorism and Financial Crimes

The DSS had secretly filed a motion to the Abuja Court against Emefiele accusing him of terrorism financing and economic crimes. This was however futile as the court denied the warrant, and the DSS also failed to confirm or deny claims that it had filed charges bordering on terrorism financing against the CBN governor.

Politically Oriented

Another possible reason from online debaters suggested there is a politically driven motive given the impact the redesign of the naira and limit on cash withdrawals might have on vote-buying in the 2023 elections.

Install A New CBN Governor

Following the leaked information of an impending attack on the CBN Governor by the DSS, a coalition comprising lawyers and human rights activists staged a protest in Abuja yesterday. The coalition said Emefiele was not a terrorist, pointing accusing fingers at the DG of the DSS, Mr. Bichi as the brain behind it.

Addressing newsmen, Convener of the Coalition, Mr. Tochukwu Ohazuruike noted that Emefiele’s planned abduction was to forcefully remove him from office by abducting, keeping him in solitary confinement for 60 days and installing a new CBN Governor.

“It has taken us some time, diligent and careful monitoring and resources to discover that on the said December 7, 2022, a motion was filed in the FCT High Court, with the major target of getting the CBN Governor out of office. The motion had suit number M/294/2022, ” he said.

READ ALSO: Court Stops DSS From Arresting Emefiele

DSS Claims National Security

The DSS, stated in a statement issued by its Public Relations Officer, Dr Peter Afunanya, that it would not succumb to propaganda and intimidation in the aftermath of a claim that it was planning to frame and arrest CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele.

In the statement entitled ‘DSS remains focused on its mandate’, said: “The Department of State Services, DSS, wishes to clarify that one of its roles is the investigation of matters of national security dimension. It has always discharged this responsibility in the overall interest of Nigerian citizens. As such, the Service will continue to disseminate actionable intelligence to the relevant authorities devoid of any sentiment….”

 Emefiele targeted for his economic policies’

Furthermore, insight shared by another group revealed Emefiele’s intending arrest is due to the new economic policies CBN initiated. Not far-fetched from an earlier point of cash withdrawal limit, but a deeper insight showcases politicians motive to avert further economic policies that will downplay their affairs.

Speaking at a press conference, Tochukwu Ohazuruike, the convener of the group referred to as the Coalition of National Interest Defenders, said the move against the CBN governor was a plot by politicians uncomfortable with the economic reform policy of the bank.

The coalition accused the spy agency of not informing President Buhari of its findings against the CBN governor.
Challenging the veracity of the secret service’s claims, the group said if truly the SSS had concrete issues, it would not have allowed Mr Emefiele to travel with Mr Buhari to the United States.

By virtue of its position, the CBN is expected major roles in, not only monetary policy matters, but also in the areas of containing cyber money crime, eradication of poverty through empowerment of vulnerable sectors of the society and other such duties.