The continued arrest and detention of the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele have sparked outrage among various groups.
Joining the outcry is an advocacy organization known as ‘The Truth, Nothing More, Nothing Else’, which is calling for his immediate release as his trial proceeds.
The group attributes the root of Emefiele’s issues to the currency swap policy introduced by the CBN last April
They argue that as the CBN boss at the time, Emefiele upset influential figures, who now seem bent on punishing him for implementing a policy on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari’s previous administration.
The demands were outlined in a communique signed by the Project Coordinator, Alhaji Kanabe Zubairu, and Secretary, Prince Moses K. Ibekwe.
The statement reads, “Our suspicion is that Emefiele had stepped on powerful toes with Buhari’s currency change in January this year.
“The change was said to be targeted at depriving politicians of the opportunity to buy votes with cash. The currency change touched all Nigerians wrongly, and it would be wrong for the group in power today to engage in apparent vendetta as right-thinking Nigerians are beginning to see the Emefiele matter.
“It must also be said that the currency change was a Buhari government’s policy, not Godwin Emefiele’s.
“We call for the release of Godwin Emefiele from detention while the trial continues. It is a test for the democratic credentials of the Tinubu government.
“We are sad about some of the things happening in our country. Take the case of Dr Godwin Emefiele, the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, governor. Emefiele who was appointed CBN governor on June 4, 2014, was suspended from office by the Bola Tinubu administration on June about 10 days into his tenure.
“He was immediately taken into detention by the Department of State Services, DSS, the very next day. We consider Emefiele’s continuous detention as unnecessary and unacceptable.
“Reminiscent of the Buhari presidency, Emefiele has been in detention for about 39 days. This clearly runs against his civil rights to be charged to court within 48 hours of arrest.
“Emefiele challenged this illegal detention and on July 13, Justice Hamza Muazu of the Abuja High Court gave a ruling ordering the DSS to either charge Emefiele to court within seven days or release him. The judge noted that the charges against Emefiele were bailable, not being capital in nature. Incidentally,
“Emefiele was charged the same day in a Lagos High Court with illegal possession of a gun and some rounds of ammunition. The charges against him are not for capital offences and as stated by Justice Muazu and thus bailable.
“We, therefore, call for his release on bail while the trial runs. If the matter is about justice and the rule of law, his continued detention serves no useful purpose.”
