The Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS), Haliru Nababa, on Thursday denied that the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) attempted to forcefully abduct a former Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, from the custody of the NCS in Kuje, Abuja.
Nababa said this during his appearance before the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions, following a petition by the Centre for Social Justice, Equity, and Transparency that alleged that the EFCC and DSS had attempted to forcefully remove Emefiele from the NCS.
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The Chairman of the Committee, Hon Mike Etaba, dismissed the petition on the grounds that it was subjudice, when it came on for first hearing yesterday, as the Director Legal and Prosecution Department of EFCC, Sylvanus Tahir, said it was inappropriate to entertain the petition as it bordered a subsisting court matter.
Represented by the Assistant Controller-General in Charge of Operations, Nwakeze Emmanuel, Nababa said, “As far as we are concerned, we are not aware of any alleged attempt to forcefully release Dr. Emefiele. Emefiele is still in our custody, bubbling.”
However, in response, the Committee Chairman said, “This matter is in court, we can’t forge ahead with this matter because it is subjudice to us. This matter is hereby dismissed from this committee.”
However, the EFCC’s legal representative, Tahir, earlier said, “The petition which we perused borders on a pending court case. There is a subsisting criminal charge against Mr. Godwin Emefiele on whose behalf the petitioners have petitioned.
“I am wondering whether it is appropriate given the fact that it borders on a subsisting court matter for this committee to by way of public hearing delve into the matter more so that Mr. Emefiele is ably represented by very senior lawyers in this matter including Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) and this petition did not emanate from them and in any event, we believe if the allegations have substance as the petitioners would want this committee to believe it would have been ventilated before the honourable court before which this case is pending because they are alleging case of contempt.”
The petitioners however, produced pictorial evidence of the EFCC operatives, which laid siege at the prison.
The lawyer to the petitioners, while addressing the media, insisted that the alleged attempt to forcefully abduct Emefiele from lawful custody did take place, and the organisation will take out contempt proceeding against executive rascality of EFCC and DSS should there be a repeat of the illegality of November 22, 2023.
The representative of CESJET, Mr Ahmed Tijani, slammed the EFCC and DSS over their penchant for disobedience of court orders, adding that the agencies had failed to respect several orders of courts granting Emefiele bail.
He said, “We are not here to challenge the matter in court but to report the alleged attempt to forcefully remove Emefiele by the EFCC from the Correctional Center.”