The Department of State Security (DSS), says the suspended Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele is not in its custody.
TheHintsNews reports that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday suspended Emefiele from office.
The president said Emefiele’s suspension was due to the ongoing investigation of his office.
But the secret police in a tweet via its verified Twitter handle on Saturday denied arresting Emefiele.
It tweeted, “Currently, Emefiele is not with the DSS.”
But a rights group, IPC Justice, said DSS’s statement that Emefiele was not in its custody does not appear to be consistent with the video that was circulated on social media.
It added that the video shows Emefiele being taken into custody by men who were wearing DSS uniforms.
It tweeted: “The DSS has not offered any explanation for the discrepancy between the video and their statement. The DSS’s lack of transparency is concerning. The agency is funded by public money, and it has a responsibility to be accountable to the public.
“The DSS’s actions in this case have raised questions about its motives and its commitment to upholding the rule of law.”
The group maintained that the Nigerian public deserves to know what was happening in this case, adding that the secret police needs to come clean and explain why Emefiele was taken into custody.
It noted that the agency also needs to explain why it has been so secretive about its actions.
It added: “The DSS’s behavior in this case is a reminder of the need for strong oversight of security agencies. The Nigerian government needs to put in place measures to ensure that security agencies are accountable to the public.
“The government also needs to ensure that security agencies are not used to intimidate or harass political opponents. The situation surrounding Emefiele is a serious one.
“The DSS’s actions have raised serious questions about the rule of law in Nigeria. The Nigerian government needs to take steps to ensure that the DSS is held accountable for its actions.”
