The High Court in Abuja, has restrained the Department of State Security (DSS) from harassing the governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele, over allegations of terrorism and sundry offenses.
The Court ruled that their actions were illegal and constitutes a breach of his rights to personal liberty, dignity of human person as provided and enshrined under the Constitution of the Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as Amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act.
It was also ruled that DSS in particularly, is restrained from any continued harassment, arrest etc., of Emefiele over any trumped-up allegation, unless an order of a superior court was first obtained.
Justice M. A. Hassan, while delivering the judgement on Thursday, ordered: “That any form of invitation to Emefiele, the Governor of CBN in the exercise of his statutory powers, functions and duties and continuous threats by the 4th respondent (DSS) to surrender his powers to them over trumped up allegations of terrorism financing and fraudulent practices, etc., constitute a flagrant breach of his rights to personal liberty, dignity of human person, right to policy making powers, freedom of thought, conscience and religion and movement as respectively provided and enshrined under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as Amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement Act and, therefore, unconstitutional and illegal.
“That the 4th respondent (DSS) acted wrongfully and illegally in instigating the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria against Emefiele in respect of the exercise of his statutory duty relating to the issuance of monetary policies and directives in the interest of National security and economy.
“It is further ordered that the 4th respondent (DSS), their agents, servants, privies and all officers under their control and command are hereby restrained from instigating the arrest or arresting, interrogating and detaining Emefiele, the CBN governor in respect of any matter or policy decision on the economy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria or for any connected purposes except by an order of a Superior Court.
Meanwhile, the court declined request for the award of N5million as cost against the DSS, EFCC and IGP.
