DSS Denies Invading CBN, As Emefiele Resumes Duty After Annual Leave

The Department of State Services (DSS), has denied allegations of invading the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and arresting its governor, Godwin Emefiele.

This is as the CBN said Emefiele, resumed duty yesterday, after his annual vacation abroad.

Reacting to news making rounds in media on Monday, the DSS spokesperson, Dr Peter Afunanya said the news is fake and quite misleading.

The DSS, in a short statement on Monday, said,

“the attention of the Department of State Services (DSS), has been drawn to the false news making the round that its operatives invaded the Central Bank of Nigeria and arrested its governor, on January 16, 2023. This is fake news and quite misleading.”

Recall that earlier on Monday, news had broke that the DSS operatives

he operatives of the State Security invaded the headquarters of the Central Bank of Nigeria, condoning off the office of the embattled governor,  Emefiele.

The report stated that there has been a running battle between the DSS and Emefiele over alleged terrorism financing against the latter.

Also, the secret service had also earlier sought a court order to arrest Emefiele but was turned down by the court and subsequently barred from arresting, inviting, or detaining him.

Emefiele has been out of the country for his annual leave, which is expiring on Tuesday, January 17, 2023.

CBN spokesman Osita Nwasinobi in a statement, said Mr. Emefiele, who proceeded on leave in December 2022, resumed work yesterday, Monday, January 16, 2023.

According to him, “the governor resumed with renewed vigour to perform his duty” ahead of the first Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting of the year scheduled for January 23 to 24, 2023.

Nwasinobi said Mr. Emefiele remains committed to performing the task before him in line with his oath of Office and the policy direction of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“While thanking the public for keeping faith with the Bank, we urge Nigerians to continue to support the policies of the Bank aimed at ensuring a stable financial system and the Nigerian economy in general,” he stated.

Emefiele had told the House of Representatives in December of 2022 via a letter that was attending to health issues abroad, a reason he did not attend to invitation by the lawmakers.

In the letter to the House of Representatives, Mr Emefiele said he was out of the country on official engagements as well attending to some health challenges. “He is therefore unavailable to attend the briefing,” the letter read in part.

Emefiele reportedly returned from the trip last week, with some reports saying he “secretly” retuned from the trip where he spent over a month.

An FCT High Court had in December barred the DSS from arresting, inviting, or detaining Mr Emefiele, following the move by the service to arrest him on allegation of terrorism financing.

Yesterday, an online news medium reported that some operatives of these Department of State Service (DSS) invaded the corporate headquarters of the central bank to arrest the governor.