Let’s not patronize DSS, let’s condemn their wanton disregard for court orders, Ubani tells NBA

Human rights lawyer, Barrister Monday Onyeakachi Ubani, has counseled his colleagues at the Nigeria Bar Association to be bold enough to condemn the Department of State Services wanton disregard for court orders.

Ubani gave the advice following the free for all fight between operatives of the DSS and Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) over who should have custody of the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.

A statement by the NBA President, Yakubu Maikyau, while reacting to the fisticuffs between the two agencies of government at the premises of the F ederal High Court in Ikoyi, called for the sanction of the agents involved in the altercation.

He said: “While it is difficult not to hold the leadership of the two federal government agencies directly responsible for the shameful and disgraceful conduct of the personnel, the NBA President has particularly called on the two agencies ‘to take immediate disciplinary measures against the officers involved in this disgraceful conduct.’ “

But Ubani, in a statement on Wednesday, said while he appreciates the promptness Mr Maikyau’s intervention, he, however, advocated for straightforward condemnation of the party in the wrong, which is the DSS.

Recall that Justice Nichola Oweibo, in granting Emefiele’s bail in the sum of N20 million and one surety, ruled that the NCoS should take custody of the defendant pending the perfection of his bail.

But in what looks like a gangster-like abduction, hooded operatives of the DSS refused to allow officials of the NCoS to take Emefiele into custody. In an attempt to have their way, the DSS agents ruffled and torn the shirt buttons of head of the NCoS team at the High Court.

Ubani, in his intervention said: “It is obvious that our judiciary and its powers are being undermined by such lawless and senseless display of power by the officers of DSS at the court premises. The legal profession cannot afford to be silent when everything about it is being threatened or destroyed by lawless government officials. It is dangerous!

“The truth is that the order of the court was explicit on who should take custody of the Defendant, in this case Mr Emefiele, former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria. It is appalling that DSS that had him for over a month was eager to take him back into custody despite the express order of the court. What more offence/s are they desiring to investigate which they did not complete for over one month they had him in their custody? Were they not the ones that came up with the miserable charge of illegal possession of firearms after his long detention? It is now they want to investigate the alleged funding of terrorism? We joke too much in this country!

“Who actually should be blamed in the circumstance, DSS or Correctional Centre? If we take into account that before yesterday there had been several court orders that directed the release or arraignment of Mr Emefiele which were observed in breach by DSS, we cannot but lay appropriate blame on the doorstep of the culprit, which is DSS. No prevarications gentlemen!
“The attitude and exercise of power by DSS under this new dispensation needs to be interrogated. Their penchant and impunity in disobeying court orders needs the bold condemnation of the Nigerian Bar Association to nip their contempt for rule of law in the bud. We do not need to patronise them at all as they are hell bent in destroying the rule of law and by extension our hard won democracy.

“I believe that President Tinubu’s government owe Nigerians the onerous responsibility to toe the line of rule of law and obedience to court orders under his government.

“If he chooses to go the way of other regimes in Nigeria, let him be rest assured that patriotic minded Nigerians will resist him and his planned autocratic regime. The citizens have suffered enough and are ready to take their destinies in their hands this time around. A word is enough.”