- Group threatens contempt proceeding against security agencies
From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
Nigeria Correctional Service ( NCS) has said there was no attempt by the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to allegedly abduct former Central Bank Governor ( CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele, from the Kuje Custodial Centre.
The Comptroller General, NCS, Haliru Nababa, stated this, yesterday, when he appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions, over a petition by the Centre for Social Justice, Equity and Transparency( CESJET) alleging that the EFCC and DSS allegedly attempted to forcefully remove Emefiele from custody.
Nababa, who was represented by the Assistant Controller-General in Charge of Operations, Nwakeze Emmanuel, told the panel that service was not aware of any such attempt.
According to him, “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.”
However, the Director Legal and Prosecution Department of EFCC, Sylvanus Tahir (SAN) , told the lawmakers that was inappropriate to entertain the petition, as it relates to a matter subsisting in court.
This is the CESJET said it would explore the option of filing a contempt proceeding against the security agencies, for not obeying the court order on Emefiele.
A representatives of the group, Ahmed Tijani, told journalists, on the sideline of the hearing that ‘we are not here to challenge the matter in court but to report the alleged attempt to forcefully remove Emefiele by EFCC from the Correctional Centre.”
Tahir had stated that “it is a case of contempt as it is being alleged, I thought the appropriate forum to ventilate that issue should be before the honourable court other than being it before this committee given the sub judice nature of this case.
“The court made an order admitting him to bail on conditions which to the best of our knowledge is yet to fulfil the bail condition. The correctional centre can confirm that he (Emefiele) is in their custody ostensibly because of the reason of non-fulfilment of the bail condition.”
Consequently, the Committee Chairman Mike Etaba dismissed the petition on the grounds that it was subjudice. ‘This matter is in court, we can’t forget ahead with this matter because it is subjudice to us. This matter is hereby dismissed from this committee.”