There are reports of a huge protest by people numbering over 200 who stormed a Federal High Court in Abuja following a reported suit secretly filed by the Department of State Services (DSS), accusing the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, of terrorism financing and other crimes.
According to Punch, groups that were part of the protest included Buhari Legacy Defenders, Arewa Youth Consultative Movement, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Movement, African Centre for Justice and Human rights, Ethnic Youth Leaders, Political Parties Chairmen Forum and Lawyers in Defence of Economic Rights and Justice.
DSS plotting to remove Emefiele for Political reasons
The report said that the protesters marched to the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation where they submitted a petition against the action of the DSS.
Describing the alleged action of the DSS as a strange development in the history of the country, the group demanded the immediate sacking of the Director-General of the DSS, Yusuf Bichi, to prevent him from setting the country ablaze.
They also submitted similar letters to the office of the President, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Inspector-General of Police, among others.
The protesters, who carried placards with various inscriptions, also alleged that the DSS embarked on the plot to remove the CBN governor for political and pecuniary reasons.
CBN Governor accused of terrorism financing
The leader of the protesters, Tochukwu Ohazuruike, who had earlier addressed a press conference, alleged that the Director-General of the DSS and his allies in the plot had already promised someone else the CBN Governorship on the agreement that the cash withdrawal limit policy would be immediately suspended.
The protesters also claimed that the plot to label Emefiele a terrorist was to undermine the President, usurp his powers to hire and fire and remove Emefiele from office on the strength that they would get an order to detain him for at least 60 days to impose another person as the Central Bank governor.
For the record
The CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, had been under intense pressure from different interest groups and politicians over the apex bank’s revised cash withdrawal limits for individuals and corporate organizations.
There have been claims that the policy is targeted at politicians especially toward the 2023 general election, a claim the CBN has denied.
Also, there had been reports that the CBN Governor was accused by a member of the dissolved Presidential Committee on Reconciliation and Recovery of Stamp Duties Revenue of allegedly diverting the sum of N89 trillion stamp duty fund into private accounts.
The DSS had approached the Federal High Court Abuja in the secret suit under S66 of the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022 to demand that the court order Emefiele’s detention for 60 days in the first instance.
