Confusion yesterday raged as the Department of State Services (DSS) denied invading the premises of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as widely reported online.

This came just as the CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, resumed office, saying he remains committed to performing his task after his annual leave.

Emefiele, who proceeded on leave in December 2022, resumed work yesterday.

A statement issued by CBN spokesperson, Mr Osita Nwanisobi, said 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.

The secret police in a statement issued by its spokesperson, Dr Peter Afunanya, said the story was false.

Recall that earlier yesterday, the service vehicles were seen around the premises of the apex bank headquarters, Abuja.

The DSS in the statement said its operatives did not attempt to arrest the CBN governor.

The statement read, “The attention of the Department of State Services (DSS) has been drawn to the false news making the round that its operatives invaded the Central Bank of Nigeria and arrested its Governor, today 16/1/23. This is fake news and quite misleading”.

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*No public officer is above the law- Adegboruwa

Meanwhile, rights activist, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), added his voice to the public row between Emefiele and DSS saying the law should be allowed to take its course in the matter.

Adegboruwa noted that a public officer could not be elevated above the law and probe adding if indeed there was a case for him to answer.

“We should not and cannot elevate a public officer above the law and above probe if there is indeed a case for him to answer”.

He recalled that the DSS sought a court order to arrest and investigate him unsuccessfully, and the service was greatly embarrassed through the process.

“Then there are court orders to stop arrest and prosecution. It is better to make everything plain and open to the Nigerian people. Nobody should be above the law. The various crises surrounding the CBN Governor do not speak well for the nation’s economy.

“There should be no undue persecution or arrest of any citizen without lawful cause or justification but no one should be shielded from the probe.

“The DSS does not require the arrest of a citizen to file a charge in court if there is truly an allegation. The issues of alleged stamp duty and alleged sponsorship of terrorism are documentaries.

“The charge once filed, will of itself speak to compel the attendance of the defendant.

“There is, therefore, no need for the seemingly unending drama between Mr Emefiele, the DSS, and the Presidency unless of course, it is part of the hidden agenda,” he noted