Nigerian Bar Association And Civil Society Groups Demand Rule Of Law In Emefiele’s Case

The Nigerian Bar Association, human rights activists, and civil society groups have issued a call to the Federal Government, urging it to uphold the principles of the rule of law, fairness, and justice in the case involving the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

According to Vanguard, these organizations criticized the Department of State Services (DSS) for the arrest and prolonged detention of Emefiele, asserting that the recent charges of gun and ammunition possession were politically motivated.

Emefiele was apprehended at his Lagos residence on June 10, a day after being suspended from his position by President Bola Tinubu. Despite his detention being ordered by an Abuja Chief Magistrate Court, the DSS charged him with the crime shortly thereafter…CONTINUE READING

The charges against him include unlawful possession of a single-barrel shotgun and ammunition without a license, as per the Firearms Laws of the Federation 2004.

The DSS claimed to have discovered these items during a search of Emefiele’s Ikoyi residence.

Joseph Daudu, former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, emphasized the importance of the government respecting court decisions concerning Emefiele’s arrest and detention.

He stated that disobeying court orders would not befit President Bola Tinubu, who recently assumed office as the President of Nigeria.

Abdulazeez Tijani, a human rights activist based in Abuja, criticized the extended detention of Emefiele while the DSS continued its investigation.

Tijani pointed out that the DSS had been attempting to arrest Emefiele for over four months and should have concluded their investigation by now, suggesting that the DSS could not hold a Nigerian citizen indefinitely under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, as it is subordinate to the 1999 Constitution.

Dr. Monday Ubani, Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Section on Public Interest and Development Law, denounced the charges against Emefiele as false and misleading.

He questioned the previous allegations against Emefiele, such as financing terrorists, misappropriation of money for printing new currency, and manipulation of foreign exchange, highlighting the need for evidence and proper legal procedures.

Barrister Jones Akpan, a human rights lawyer, argued that charges of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition should be handled by the police, raising concerns about the DSS’s jurisdiction and its adherence to due process.

Chima Williams, a constitutional lawyer and Executive Director of Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), believed that the charges against Emefiele were politically motivated.

He emphasized the importance of focusing on the laws and institutions to move the nation forward, rather than individuals.

Auwal Rafsanjani, Chair of the Board of Trustees for Amnesty International (Nigeria), criticized the charges against Emefiele as lacking substance and distracting from more pressing issues, such as insecurity, economic instability, and social unrest.

Rafsanjani called on the DSS to prioritize resolving these urgent national challenges.

Princess Hamman-Obels, Director of the Initiative for Research, Innovation, and Advocacy in Development, underscored the significance of following due process and respecting individual rights in the case.