House Representatives committee on public petitions has dismissed the petition against the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), over alleged attempts to forcefully abduct former Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, from the custody of Nigeria Correctional Centre, Kuje, Abuja.
The committee threw out the petition brought before it by Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency alleging that the EFCC and DSS attempted to forcefully remove Emefiele from custody, at public hearing on Thursday.
The committee‘s chairman, Hon. Mike Etaba in his ruling after presentations by concerned parties, discarded the petition on the grounds that it was sub judice, as matter was in the court.
Etaba said, “This matter is in court, we can‘t forget ahead with this matter because it is sub judice to us. This matter is hereby dismissed from this committee.
The comptroller-general of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCS), Haliru Nababa had in his testimony denied that the DSS and EFCC attempted to forcefully remove the former CBN governor from its Correctional Centre in Kuje, Abuja.
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.”
The director of Legal and Prosecution Department of EFCC, Sylvanus Tahir SAN, said it was inappropriate to entertain the petition as it bordered a subsisting court matter.
Tahir 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 (SAN) and this petition did not emanate from them.”
