TheCable

A coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) says there a plot to oust Godwin Emefiele, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), from office on trumped-up terrorism charges.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Monday, Tochukwu Ohazuruike, convener of the coalition, alleged that the Department of State Services (DSS) has “secretly” filed terrorism charges against the CBN governor.

Ohazuruike said in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2255/2022, the secret police is praying the court for an order to remand Emefiele for at least 60 days.

“There is a suit at the high court with the major target of getting the CBN governor out of office that motion has the number 294/M/294/2022,” the convener said.

“On the 7th of December another ex parte motion was secretly filed at the federal high court Abuja, this time, directly by the State Security Service (SSS). The suit is between the State Security Service and Godwin Emefiele.

“Our intelligence which discovered this shocking development showed that the suit was filed at the court without disclosing the full identity of the defendant, Mr Emefiele, to the court.

“They are working on the premise that the court will grant an order to arrest Mr Emefiele who is the defendant for a meaning of 60 days hiding under Section 66 of the terrorism prevention and prohibition act 2022.

“It is utterly shameful for the SSS to fabricate bogus charges only in a bid to force an innocent man out of office.”

Peter Afunnaya, spokesman of the DSS, is yet to comment on the allegation.

Calls put through to his phone did not go through and a text message sent to him has not been responded to.