Human rights activist and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 general elections, Omoyele Sowore, has asked the Department of State Services to arrest former President, Muhammadu Buhari and the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, as accomplices of the suspended Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
SaharaReporters had on Friday evening reported that the DSS operatives arrested Emefiele, after his suspension by President Bola Tinubu, with immediate effect.
SaharaReporters also reported that Emefiele was suspended “sequel to the ongoing investigation of his office and the planned reforms in the financial sector of the economy” according to a release by Willie Bassey, the Director, Information, for the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.
“Mr Emefiele has been directed to immediately hand over the affairs of his office to the Deputy Governor (Operations Directorate), who will act as the Central Bank Governor pending the conclusion of investigation and the reforms,” the release further said.
Reacting to the DSS arrest of Emefiele, Sowore wrote on Twitter, “DSS reportedly picks up/detains former CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele. In an ideal society, his main accomplice in the military, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor should be arrested and tried with Emefiele. Of course not leaving out former President @MBuhari as well.”
SaharaReporters had in February reported how the DSS attempted to arrest Emefiele, but the Chief of Defence Staff, Irabor, shielded him by providing soldiers to guard his residence and office.
The DSS had said it intensified its investigations in order to arrest and prosecute Emefiele, on allegations of terrorism financing and fraud.
SaharaReporters had also in January reported that how Irabor meddled in the DSS investigation by providing cover for Emefiele, who returned to the country at that time from the United Kingdom and evaded arrest.
The CBN governor had headed to his office with massive security, specifically military protection, following his return to the country.
A senior DSS operative had recounted how the soldiers provided by the CDS countermanded the DSS officials who went to arrest Emefiele at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.
“Had we not stood down our officers, there could have been a shootout between our men and the soldiers who had cordoned off the area when the plane landed and escorted the CBN governor to his residence,” he had said.