Falana slams DSS over disobedience of Emefiele’s bail order

Femi Falana, a senior Nigerian attorney, on Tuesday, requested that the federal government mandates the Department of State Services (DSS) to follow court orders.

Falana’s calls came shortly after a confrontation between DSS agents and Nigerian Correctional Service agents over the detention of suspended CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele.

The Federal Government is pursuing Emefiele on two counts of illegally possessing firearms and ammunition.

After Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court in Lagos granted Emefiele bail in the amount of N20 million, there was a confrontation between prison guards and secret police.

Reacting to the tussle in a statement, the human rights lawyer lamented that DSS operatives would disobey the directives of the court.

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“The Federal Government should also ensure that the orders of the Federal High Court are obeyed forthwith,” Falana said.

“Notwithstanding the avowed commitment of the Bola Tinubu administration to operate under the rule of law, a team of State Security Service officials brazenly disobeyed the orders of the Federal High Court, which admitted Mr. Godwin Emefiele to bail in respect of the offence of illegal possession of firearms.

“For daring to comply with the orders of the Federal High Court, officials of the Correctional Centre were attacked by gun-totting officers of the SSS.”

He argued that in view of the stern warning of President Tinubu that inter-agency physical attacks would not be permitted under his administration, the security officers who attacked officials of the Ikoyi Correctional Centre ought to be fished out and sanctioned.

“All public officers should draw the necessary lessons from the current travails of Mr. Emefiele. As Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, he recklessly displayed arrogance and impunity by disobeying the orders of several courts, including the Supreme Court of Nigeria!” he added.

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