Release Godwin Emefiele now, group tells FG

As the arrest and detention of Mr Godwin Emefiele, suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, continues to generate outrage in many quarters, an advocacy group, The Truth, Nothing More, Nothing Else, has joined the fray in demanding for his immediate while his trial in court continues.

The group which traced the root of Emefiele’s travails to the currency swap introduced by the CBN last April, alleged that he had by being the CBN boss at the tim,e stepped on powerful toes who now appeared determined to punish him for the policy he implemented on behalf of the outgone administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

In a communique signed by the Project Coordinator, Alhaji Kanabe Zubairu, and Secretary, Prince Moses K. Ibekwe, the group said: “Our suspicion is that Emefiele had stepped on powerful toes with Buhari’s currency change in January this year.

‘’The change was said to be targeted at depriving politicians of the opportunity to buy votes with cash. The currency change touched all Nigerians wrongly, and it would be wrong for the group in power today to engage in apparent vendetta as right-thinking Nigerians are beginning to see the Emefiele matter.

‘’It must also be said that the currency change was a Buhari government’s policy, not Godwin Emefiele’s.

“We call for the release of Godwin Emefiele from detention while the trial continues. It is a test for the democratic credentials of the Tinubu government.”

Continuing, the group stated: “We are sad about some of the things happening in our country. Take the case of Dr Godwin Emefiele, the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, governor. Emefiele who was appointed CBN governor on June 4, 2014, was suspended from office by the Bola Tinubu administration on June about 10 days into his tenure.

‘’He was immediately taken into detention by the Department of State Services, DSS, the very next day. We consider Emefiele’s continuous detention as unnecessary and unacceptable.

‘’Reminiscent of the Buhari presidency, Emefiele has been in detention for about 39 days. This clearly runs against his civil rights to be charged to court within 48 hours of arrest.

“Emefiele challenged this illegal detention and on July 13, Justice Hamza Muazu of the Abuja High Court gave a ruling ordering the DSS to either charge Emefiele to court within seven days or release him. The judge noted that the charges against Emefiele were bailable, not being capital in nature. Incidentally,

“Emefiele was charged same day in a Lagos High Court with illegal possession of a gun and some rounds of ammunition. The charges against him are not for capital offences and as stated by Justice Muazu and thus bailable.

‘’We, therefore, call for his release on bail while the trial runs. If the matter is about justice and the rule of law, his continued detention serves no useful purpose.’’