CBN/DSS Saga: Emefiele Back From Annual Leave Stronger
- As DSS denies storming CBN headquarters
BY EDMOND ODOK – Amid raging controversies over the purported face-off between the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, the apex bank chief, Mr Godwin Emefiele, is fully back on his seat after spending the 2022 annual vacation outside the country.
Emefiele’s resumption at work comes on the heels of reports alleging that the country’s secret Police had on Monday, January 16, stormed the CBN headquarters in Abuja, taking over the embattled governor’s office, and temporarily disrupting activities of the day.
However, dispelling the rumours, CBN’s Director of Corporate Communications, Osita Nwanisobi, said the Governor, who proceeded on leave in December 2022, resumed work on Monday, January 16, 2023.
According to Nwanisobi; “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.
Further confirming the position of things within the apex bank, the CBN Spokesman 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.”
In appreciating the public for keeping faith with the Bank, the statement by Nwanisobi said; “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”.
In a related development, the Department of State Security Services (DSS) has reacted to reports in some quarters that its operatives stormed the CBN Governor’s office and arrested him, dismissing such as “fake news and quite misleading”.
A statement by the DSS’ Spokesperson, Dr Peter Afunanya, said; “The attention of the Department of State Services (DSS) has been drawn to the false news making the rounds that its operatives invaded the Central Bank of Nigeria and arrested its Governor, today 16/1/23. This is fake news and quite misleading”.
An online media had reported that “the operatives of the State Security Service, SSS, have invaded the headquarters of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, taking over the office of the embattled governor of the apex bank, Godwin Emefiele.
According to it, “arriving at the CBN headquarters Monday noon, the SSS operatives came in with about 20 vehicles with armed personnel. The operatives also barred all staff of the bank from gaining access to Mr Emefiele’s office”
The contentious report had tied the purported invasion to what it called “a running battle between the Service and Mr Emefiele over alleged terrorism financing.”
