The Central Bank of Nigeria has confirmed that its governor, Godwin Emefiele, is fully focused on the first Monetary Policy Committee meeting of the year 2023 amid rumoured arrest attempt made by the Department of State Services.
The apex bank made this known in a statement released on Monday by its Director, Corporate Communications, Osita Nwabisobi.
The CBN also confirmed that Emefiele resumed office on Monday after weeks of suspense about his whereabouts.
The Director, Corporate Communications of the CBN, Osita Nwanisobi, made this known in a statement in Abuja, on Monday, according to The Guardian.
According to Nwanisobi, Emefiele had resumed after his yearly vacation abroad.
He said, “Mr. Emefiele, who proceeded on leave in December 2022, resumed work today, Monday, January 16, 2023. 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.”
Nwanisobi insisted Emefiele remains committed to performing the task before him, in line with his oath of office and the policy direction of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (Ret’d.)
While thanking the public for keeping faith with the bank, the CBN urged Nigerians to continue to support its policies aimed at ensuring a stable financial system and the Nigerian economy in general, although, nothing about Emefiele’s rumoured arrest attempt or CBN’s invasion by the DSS was mentioned.
Meanwhile, the Department of State Services, on Monday, denied invading the headquarters of the CBN over Emefiele’s alleged involvement in sponsoring terrorism.
The spokesperson for the agency, Peter Afunanya, in a statement, described the report alleging that the secret police took over the office of the governor of the CBN as fake news and misleading.
He said, “The attention of the (DSS) has been drawn to the false news making the rounds that its operatives invaded the Central Bank of Nigeria and arrested the governor today (yesterday). This is fake news and quite misleading.”
Earlier, it was gathered that operatives of the agency stormed the CBN, taking over the office of Emefiele.
The agencies’ armed personnel allegedly entered the premises with about 20 vehicles. It was also learnt that the operatives barred all staff of the bank from gaining access to Emefiele’s office.
Recall that, the DSS had accused Emefiele of fraud and allegedly sponsoring terrorism against Nigeria, and had also sought a court order to arrest Emefiele.
However, the Federal High Court had, in December, barred the DSS from arresting, inviting, or detaining Emefiele.
