December 05, (THEWILL) – The House of Representatives has summoned the Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS), Yusuf Magaji Bichi, to appear before it on Thursday, December 7, over alleged failed attempt by security agents to forcefully remove the former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, from the custody of Nigeria Correctional Centre in Kuje, Abuja, in defiance to a subsisting court order which granted him bail.
Also to appear before the lawmakers to testify is the Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Haliru Nababa, and the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede.
THEWILL earlier reported that the House of Representatives had directed its Committee on Public Petitions to investigate an alleged failed attempt by the EFCC to abduct and forcefully remove Emefiele from the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja in defiance to a subsisting Court order which granted him bail.
The investigation followed a petition by a civil society organisation (CSO), Centre For Social Justice Equity And Transparency (CESJET).
In the petition dated November 27, 2023, and addressed to the House Deputy Spokesman, Philip Agbese, the CSO said the actions of the security agencies were a direct affront to the rule of law and amounted to disregarding the order of a competent Court of Law.
The organisation lamented that the embattled former CBN governor is now facing persecution and not prosecution, urging the lawmakers to intervene and stop the agencies of the State from abusing Court process and persecuting the former apex bank chief.
In a summon notice dated December 1, 2023, and signed by the Chairman, House Committee on Public Petitions, the lawmakers summoned the heads of the three security agencies to appear before it on Thursday, December 7, 2023, for an investigative hearing on the allegation.
The notice of Summon sighted by THEWILL, read in part: “Whereas the above-named petition is now pending before this Committee and the particulars of the petition aforesaid are already within your knowledge, And whereas, the petition has been assigned to be heard by the Committee for determination.
“YOU ARE HEREBY required to note Sections 88 and 89 (C) of our constitution (as amended) and appear in person before this Committee on Thursday, 7th day of December 2023 at 2:00pm or so soon thereafter as the Committee shall direct.
“You are to Submit one (1) soft and twenty (20) hard copies of your brief on the matter. AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you do not attend the hearing as required, the case may be heard or determined in your absence.
“Issued this 1st day of December, 2023. Venue: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ROOM 429 (NEW WING).”
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