DSS seizes Emefiele’s passport, plans home, office search on Democracy Day

The Department of State Services is reported to have confiscated the passport of the suspended Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele.

According to The Punch, the security agency may also search the home and office of the embattled CBN Governor.

Emefiele, who was suspended on Friday, June 9 is being investigated by the DSS for his planned reforms in the financial sector.

He was arrested in Lagos and flown to Abuja in a private jet on Saturday.

The spokesperson for the service, Peter Afunanya, in a statement said Emefiele had been taken into custody and was under investigation.

However, a source in the DSS on Sunday said it was standard procedure for his travel document to be seized pending the conclusion of the ongoing investigation, The Punch reports.

The source added that the office and residence of the suspended apex bank governor would be searched.

The source said, “Of course, Emefiele’s travel document would be confiscated as part of the standard process pending the conclusion of our investigation. Also, as part of the investigation, his house and office would be searched for documents that can aid the ongoing investigation on his management of the CBN.”

Other top directors of the CBN might also be invited or arrested for questioning over their roles in the administration of the apex bank, The Punch reports.

It was learnt that the DSS might revisit the criminal charges it earlier filed against Emefiele which borders on terrorism financing and fraud.