A Global NGO, One Love Foundation, a public interest, a leading CSO in Nigeria and some lawyers and others has in a press interview today being 11th June 2023 with the Global president in the person of Chief Dr. Patrick Eholor and NGO country legal adviser in the person of Samuel Ihensekhien jnr praised the DSS for arresting Godwin Emefiele ,who is the embattled and suspended CBN Governor for different sundry crimes and offences and clamour for the prompt prosecution in court against Emefiele.
The organisation alongside some seasoned lawyers and activists wonders why an organisation with a pseudo name like the
Lawyers under the aegis of united lawyers for Rule of law defence should also expressed misinformed outrage over the arrest of the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Dr Godwin Emefiele,by the Department of State Services (DSS),where in by there press release. They describe the action of DSS arrest of Godwin Emefiele to be archaic undevelopment and also undemocratic.
The One Love Foundation group and his team of lawyers wonders what is illegal in the arrest of a suspect, who has been on the radar of DSS for a long months and time over mind blowing atrocities and allegations.The group Further cautioned the supposed faceless lawyers group and other similar cso/groups to deter from same, and allow the DSS perform his statutory functions.
The One Love Foundation group in further reaction noted that they are fully aware of the 2022 earlier FCT High Court orders ,which restrained Attorney General of the Federation, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Central Bank of Nigeria, who were listed as the first, second and fifth defendants, but that the court orders in that case were specifically tied to issues of naira redesign been implemented by the then CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele and not to prohibit the trail, and prosecution of Godwin Emefiele in any guise.
The group full noted that though in litigated case before the fct high court per coram“Justice MA Hassan although made the order while delivering judgment in a suit marked fct//CV/41/2022, filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the Forum for Accountability and Good Leadership. It should be noted that Godwin emefiele is not a party in that said suit and the said judgement cannot prohibit the DSS or ministry of justice from performing their statutory functions of investigating and arraigning Emefiele.
“In the suit filed on December 19, 2022, the applicant then different from Emefiele, among other reliefs, prayed the court for a declaration that the continuous harassments, intimidation, threats, restriction of free movement, abuse of the right of office, surreptitious moves to arrest, and humiliation of Emefiele, by the respondents are vindictive, unwarranted and abrasive.
The one love foundation group further stated and noted that by virtue of court of appeal judgement in
Uwazuruike v. Attorney-General of the Federation (2008) 10 NWLR (Pt.1096) 444 at 458-459 where the Court of Appeal had held as follows:
“It is apparent that the Federal High Court, Owerri and Federal High Court, Abuja are Courts of concurrent jurisdiction, therefore the contention by the counsel for the Appellant that 1st Appellant was charged to court maliciously in flagrant disrespect of an order of Federal High Court, Owerri cannot be correct, because courts that are of similar or concurrent jurisdiction are not bound to follow the decision of each other. See-PROF. AD. OLUTOLA V. UNIVERSITY OF ILORIN (2005) 3 W. R, N PAGE 22} (2004) 18 NWLR (PT.905) 416.
The group further stated that by virtue of the above court of appeal case law and judgement , the investigation, arraignment and prosecution of former cbn Governor is legal.And that former cbn Governor emefiele can be arrested for alleged sundry offences and accordingly charged to court, so legally we wonder which law is a certain pseudo advocacy group relying upon to hold unto there unlegally views , that Godwin Emefiele cannot be arrested and tried for sundry criminal offences. The one love foundation noted and praised the DSS to go on with his investigation and conclude same swiftly with a view to arraigning Godwin emefiele in court.