News
Emefiele, DSS’s Suspends Running Battle As CBN Gov Resumes
The battle between the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, and the Department of State Services over a plan to arrest the CBN governor may have been put on hold as Emefiele resumes duty.
The CBN governor on Monday resumed office at the CBN headquarters, after spending several weeks in the United Kingdom and the United States following reported plots by the DSS to arrest him.
In a statement by the CBN Director of Corporate Communications, Mr Osita Nwanisobi, the apex bank said the governor had resumed to work, amid concerns over his absence since last month.
The statement read, “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 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.”
The bank further urged Nigerians to continue to support the policies of the bank aimed at ensuring a stable financial system and the Nigerian economy in general.
Meanwhile, the Department of State Services has denied invading the CBN head office in Abuja.
There were reports in some media outlets (not The PUNCH) that the DSS had stormed the CBN headquarters to arrest the governor of the apex bank.
In a statement on Monday by the DSS Public Relations Officer, Peter Afunanya, the agency denied arresting Emefiele.
The statement read in part, “The attention of the Department of State Services 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.”
However, the development appears to have put a temporary stop to the reported plot by the DSS to arrest the nation’s number one banker.
Emefiele, perhaps the most embattled and controversial CBN governor in the recent history of the country, left the country last month following the decision of the DSS to arrest him.
In December, the secret service agency approached an Abuja court to arrest Emefiele over allegations bordering on financing terrorism and money laundering, among others.
However, the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja reportedly stopped the DSS from arresting the CBN governor for alleged “acts of financing terrorism, fraudulent activities and economic crimes of national security dimension.”
The DSS filed a suit on December 7, 2022, seeking to arrest the CBN governor. But Justice J.T Tsoho declined to grant the application for the governor’s arrest on December 9, 2022.
The suit, with reference number FHC/Abj/CS/2255/2022, had State Security Services as the applicant.
Refusing to grant the DSS request, the judge said, “In the light of the foregoing reasons, I decline to grant this application ex parte. If the applicant believes that the evidence available to it so far is sufficient, then it can as well arrest and detain the applicant, even without the order of the court. If, however, the applicant desires to still pursue this application, then it should place the respondent on notice considering the sensitive public office that he occupies.”
Also, the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, on December 29, barred the DSS and the Inspector General of Police from arresting and detaining Emefiele, over allegations of terrorism and sundry offences against him.
Meanwhile, the court has ordered an accelerated hearing in the matter and abridged the time of both the respondents and the applicant.
Also restrained by the court order are the Attorney General of the Federation, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Central Bank of Nigeria, who are listed as the first, second and fifth defendants.
Justice MA Hassan made the order while delivering judgment in a suit marked GAR/CV/41/2022, filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the Forum for Accountability and Good Leadership
On Sunday, six Senior Advocates of Nigeria, a former Attorney General of the Federation condemned the move to arrest Emefiele for terrorism, insisting that the rule of law must prevail.
In a letter addressed to the Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami (SAN), they urged him to ensure that the government, especially the security agencies, observe the Rule of Law as a foundation of a democratic society by complying with court decisions.
In the letter signed by former Attorney General and Minister of Justice and Defence, Adetokunbo Kayode, Oba Maduabuchi, Emeka Ozoani, M.M Nurudeen, Abdul Mohammed, and Dr Emeka Obegolu, they said they observed moves to still proceed and sidetrack and disobey the court decisions and unduly and unlawfully Interfere with Emefiele’s fundamental rights.
The letter, dated January 6, 2023, was titled Emefiele: let the rule of law of prevail.
Meanwhile, several groups supporting Emefiele had criticised the move by the DSS.
A coalition of human rights activists, the Arewa Youth Consultative Movement and public interest lawyers operating under the aegis of the Coalition of National Interest Defenders, had expressed concern about the DSS plot to arrest Emefiele.
They claimed the plan to sack the CBN governor was orchestrated by politicians who were not comfortable with the economic reform policy of the apex bank, especially the designation of the naira.
Reacting then, the DSS stated that it would not join issues with those protesting the suit filed against the CBN governor, saying they were on a wild goose chase.
In a release signed by its spokesman, Peter Afunanya, the agency said it remained focused and unbiased and not succumb to propaganda, intimidation and the desperation of hirelings to undermine it.
“While professionally discharging its mandate, the DSS pledges to remain focused and unbiased. It will also not give room to the use of falsehood and deceit to misdirect public understanding and perceptions of issues of national importance.
“The service warned those on a wild goose chase to be mindful of their actions. Similarly, it urges members of the public to disregard the vituperations and rantings of misguided elements and not allow themselves to be used as instruments of destabilisation.”
President Bola Tinubu met with security chiefs, including Tunji Disu, the inspector-general of police (IGP) in a closed-door session on Thursday to address a series of “rising terror attacks” across the country.
The meeting followed an escalation in violence, including recent deadly raids in Benue, Plateau, and Borno states.
The nearly two-hour meeting, held at the State House in Abuja, began in the afternoon after the security chiefs arrived discreetly and ended around 5:10 p.m.
Those in attendance included Christopher Musa, minister of defence; Nuhu Ribadu, national security adviser (NSA); Adeola Ajayi, the director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS); and Olufemi Oluyede, chief of defence staff (CDS).
Others were Waidi Shaibu, the chief of army staff; Kelvin Aneke, chief of air staff; and Idi Abbas, chief of naval staff.
As of the time of filing this report, details of the meeting had yet to be issued by the presidency.
However, there are indications that the sit-down may centre around the rising terror attacks and intensified assaults on military outposts across Nigeria, particularly in the north-east, which culminated in the recent killing of several high-ranking officers.
On Monday, a commanding officer of the Nigerian Army was killed following an attack by suspected fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) on a military base in Kukawa, Borno state.
The attack came about a week after suspected Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters attempted to attack military positions in Ngoshe, Gwoza LGA of Borno.
On Tuesday, Nigerian troops repelled an early-morning attack by suspected ISWAP fighters on a military base in Doron Baga, Kukawa LGA of the state.
Speaking during an interfaith breaking of the fast with members of the Nigerian Armed Forces at the presidential villa in Abuja last Friday, Tinubu said the country would “ultimately prevail against all forms” of insecurity.
The president said the efforts of the security forces had continued to weaken terrorist groups and bandits operating in different parts of the country.
He assured the armed forces of continued investment in modern equipment, intelligence, and logistics to strengthen their operational effectiveness.
In a major political shake-up on Thursday,12 members of the House of Representatives formally defected from their various political parties to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, announced the defections during a plenary session, citing internal party crises and leadership disputes as the primary reasons for the lawmakers’ exit.
Of the 12 lawmakers who defected, six left the Peoples Democratic Party for the APC. Five members abandoned the Labour Party and the PDP for the ADC, while one member moved from the Young Progressives Party to the ADC.
The development has heightened concerns about growing instability within political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Those who defected from the PDP to the APC are James Barka (Adamawa), Kwamoti Bitrus Laori (Adamawa), Zakaria Nyampa (Adamawa), Kobis Thimnu (Adamawa), Midala Balami (Borno), and Mohammed Bargaja (Sokoto).
Lawmakers who defected to the ADC include Afam Victor Ogene (Anambra), Peter Aniekwe (Anambra), Lilian Orogbu (Anambra), Jessey Onakalusi (Lagos), and Murphy Osaro Omoruyi (Edo).
The Deputy Speaker of the House, Benjamin Kalu, who presided over plenary, disclosed that some other members had also written to the leadership of the House notifying it of their intention to leave their current parties.
He, however, said the letters and the destination parties of the lawmakers would not be disclosed in their absence.
While announcing the names of the defectors, Kalu said the reasons given by the lawmakers were similar to those previously cited by others who had defected. He added that the House would not read the letters during the session in order to save time.
According to him, the letters would only be read when the concerned lawmakers are present on the floor of the House.
During Wednesday’s plenary, Garba Inuwa and Abdullahi El-Rasheed from Gombe, as well as Mohammed Audu (Taraba) and Joshua Obika (FCT), defected to the APC, while Adewale Adebayo (Osun) left the PDP for the Accord Party.
In a series of tense exchanges spanning late 2025 and early 2026, Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky has repeatedly warned Donald Trump and the international community that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has already escalated into the beginning of World War III due to Russian aggression and its growing alliances.
While Zelensky has warned that Vladimir Putin’s actions are dragging the world into a global conflict, Trump has frequently flipped this narrative, accusing Zelensky of “gambling with World War Three” by refusing to make immediate concessions for a peace deal.
“I said that we would have World War III. The President (Trump) didn’t hear me…him with his guys,” Zelensky said in a televised interview on Wednesday.
“I’m not sure they (the United States) can estimate that Russia will support Iran with weapons, drones, and missiles. And—100 percent—it’s helping now with air defense.”
Pointing to the situation in his country, Zelensky said the next stage of the Iranian war could be troop deployment, saying there are 10,000 North Korean soldiers currently in Russia.
“Yes, they are on the territory of Russia, but they can come to Ukraine,” he presumed. “It can be the same with Iran; Russia can send troops.”
Zelensky said countries in the Middle East have remained neutral on the Ukrainian conflict because of their long history of economic relations with Moscow.
“They understand Russia is the aggressor but are not loud about it or strong on sanctions,” he said. “Now they are beginning to understand what it means to live under attacks.”
Reports in Western media suggest Russia is sharing drone warfare strategy learned in Ukraine with Iran, potentially boosting Tehran’s ability to hit U.S. and Gulf interests in the Middle East.
The war, now on Day 13, has affected at least a dozen countries, with no ceasefire indication in sight. The U.S. has struck thousands of targets and has not indicated boots on the ground.
“They (Iran) are pretty much at the end of the line,” President Trump said Wednesday night. “It doesn’t mean we’re going to end it immediately.”
Terror Surge: Tinubu Demands Results from Security Chiefs
2027 Shakeup: 12 Lawmakers Defect To APC, ADC
World War III Fears: Zelensky Reveals Warning To Trump
Tensions Rise As Makoko Communities Vow To Resist Relocation Order
Union Bank Of Nigeria Marks International Women’s Month 2026 With Inclusion-First “Give to Gain” Campaign
IWD: Fidelity Bank Signs MoU with Partners, Launch ‘Give Her Power’ Initiative to Empower Nigerian Women
Just In: Dangote Refinery Announces Petrol, Diesel Price Reduction
Drama At Rivers Assembly Over Nominee’s ‘I don’t pay tax’ Statement
Rotimi Salami In Tears As ‘Kilanko’ Struggles At Box Office
