Illegal Firearms: DSS Fails To Arrest Asari Dokubo But Charges Emefiele – HURIWA
Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, (HURIWA), on Monday, said it was worrisome and shameful that the Department of State Services (DSS) persistently fail to arrest ex-Niger Delta agitator, Asari Dokubo but, pressing charges against the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele over alleged illegal possession of firearms.
In a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA also queried why all the bandits brandishing military grade weapons in videos have not been arrested and prosecuted by the DSS.
It noted that after over one month of his suspension and arrest since June 10, 2023, the DSS, last week, charged Emefiele with illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
The rights group also said that the case was filed on Thursday (13 July), the same day a judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja gave the State Security Service (SSS) one-week ultimatum to either charge him in court or release him.
It further said that in the newly filed case, the DSS accused Emefiele of possessing a single-barrel shotgun (JOJEFF MAGNUM 8371) without a licence; an offence said to be contrary to Section 4 of the Firearms Act, and punishable under Section 27 (1b) of the same Act, adding that in the second count, the DSS charged him with illegally possessing 23 rounds of live ammunition (cartridges) without a licence. HURIWA further said; “The charge is a downgrade of much weightier allegations of terrorism financing and economic sabotage the SSS earlier levelled against the suspended CBN governor. The fresh charge against Godwin Emefiele is laughable. More laughable is that the DSS spent several man-hours, resources, to track the suspended CBN governor.
“Why is Asari Dokubo whose viral video trended whereby he brandished military assault rifles and threatening to bring fire and brimstone on Nigeria not arrested and charged for illegal possession of firearms?
“Why are all the Fulani bandits brandishing military grade weapons in videos not arrested and prosecuted?
“This Emefiele’s matter has been reduced to child’s play by the DSS and this is a crying shame that scores of gunmen are killing, maiming and destroying people in the South East in the guise of enforcing sit at home orders of Simon Ekpa but, the DSS can quickly arrest Emefiele, detain him for many weeks and charge him for possession of firearms whereas the real mass killers in the South East are allowed to operate freely,” it said.
