The suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Lamido Sanusi, has denied funding the dreaded Boko Haram group.
Mr Sanusi made this denial through his lawyer, Kola Awodein, at the resumed hearing of his fundamental rights enforcement suit before the Federal High Court in Lagos, which was filed a day after the Governor was suspended from office by President Goodluck Jonathan.
Sanusi also insisted that the Federal Government had failed to substantiate the allegation of terrorism financing leveled against him and stressed that apart from the mere allusion to the allegation of terrorism financing, the Federal Government never produced any evidence before the court to back up such claim.
The suit was filed against the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Bello Adoke; the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar and the Department of State Security (DSS); and it is seeking a perpetual injunction restraining the security agencies from arresting Mr Sanusi without following due process in respect of the allegations against him.
The Federal Government through its lawyer, Mr Fabian Ajogwu, has, however, told the court that it lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the suit. He cited Section 254 (C) of the Constitution, which gives only the National Industrial Court the powers to hear a labour dispute between Mr Lamido Sanusi, the employee and Federal Government, the employer.
On the enforcement of Mr Sanusi’s fundamental rights, the lawyer argued that law enforcement agencies cannot be perpetually restrained from carrying out their duties. He contended that the suit was speculative, hypocritical and an attempt to shield Mr Sanusi from the machinery of the administration of justice, which the Federal Government had kick-started. He, therefore, asked the court to strike out the suit.
In his defence, Mr Sanusi has said that he was not afraid of being arrested. He, however, insisted that the court should restrain the Federal Government from arresting him without following due process of law.
Trial Judge, Justice Ibrahim Buba has reserved ruling in the matter till Thursday, April 3, 2014.
The Judge fixed the date after parties argued and adopted their arguments in support and against the suspended Governor’s fundamental rights enforcement suit.
The suspended Governor had predicated the suit on his arrest and detention for about one hour at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja by DSS operatives upon arrival from Niger Republic, shortly after his removal was announced. His passport was also impounded and has since been with the DSS.
