Emefiele resumes, as DSS denies invading CBN
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Godwin Emefiele, resumed work on Monday after a two weeks vacation.
The Director, Corporate Communications of CBN, Osita Nwanisobi, confirmed Emefiele’s return in a statement in Abuja.
The statement reads: “The Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, has resumed duty after his
annual vacation abroad. 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.
“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.
“While thanking the public for keeping faith with the Bank, 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.”
Shortly after reports of the CBN governor’s resumption, there were speculations that operatives of the SSS immediately clamped down on the apex bank’s headquarters and took over his office.
However in a statement by the DSS spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, denied the action, describing it as false and misleading.
Afunanya said in the statement titled ‘CBN not invaded by DSS’: “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.”
Last Thursday, Emefiele was reported to have secretly returned to the country the previous day after weeks abroad amid a running battle with the state security service who threatened to arrest him over allegations of corruption and terrorism financing levelled against him.
Prior to his trip outside the country, operatives of the DSS were said to have been on his trail since last December after its failed attempt to secure an order of the Federal High Court, Abuja to arrest him.
