Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, says the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, has not returned to the country following allegations of terrorism financing levelled against him by the Department of State Services (DSS).
“I can say without any fear of contradiction that Mr Godwin Emefiele is not in Nigeria; he hasn’t returned to the country because he has been declared wanted by the state security services,” Falana said on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.
“If you have the evidence that he has committed the offence alleged, you don’t need a court order to arrest him and that is the law. And by the way, no court in Nigeria or anyway has the power to confer immunity on any citizen… If you are not one of the 74 people who are entitled to immunity in Nigeria; that is the President, the Vice President, the governors, and deputy governors, no other person can enjoy immunity.
“So, you can’t say don’t arrest a citizen if there is reasonable suspicion that he has committed an offence. So, I expect the State Security Service to come out with the allegations, and if Mr Emefiele is not going to return to the country, file a charge in the Federal High Court so that he can get his lawyers, and prepare his defence.”
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