Sequel to the ruling of the Federal High Court in Lagos, restraining the Police and Department of State Service (DSS) from arresting the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the DSS Friday said it will appeal the judgement.
Justice Ibrahim Buba, had while delivering judgement in suit filed by Sanusi, also awarded N50 million damages in favour of the suspended CBN governor as well as ordering the DSS to immediately release his international passport.
But, the DSS spokesperson, Marilyn Ogar, in a statement said the judgement was not acceptable, saying that the Service has taken steps to appeal the judgment she described as “erroneous”.
She also insisted that the DSS acted within the law in impounding Mr. Sanusi’s international passport, adding that it will not be released as ordered by the court.
Ogar’s statement reads, “Following the ruling by Honorable Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court Lagos on the application for the enforcement of fundamental rights by the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, the Department of State Services (DSS) expresses its disappointment and dissatisfaction with the judgment.
“The Service has taken immediate steps to appeal this rather erroneous judgement. Notwithstanding, this Service holds and continues to hold the judiciary in high esteem as critical partners in nurturing our democracy and nation building.
“It is therefore necessary to state that in impounding the passport of Mallam Sanusi LAMIDO, the Service acted in accordance with the law. For the avoidance of doubt, section 3(2) (b) of Instrument SSS No. 1 of 1999 made pursuant to section 6 of the National Security Agencies (NSA) Act, provides as follows:
“The State Security Service is hereby empowered to impound and keep in its custody the passports or any other property of persons or organizations under investigation if considered appropriate by the Director General. Returns of all such seizures shall be rendered to the National Security Adviser, while such passports shall be returned to the Owners as soon as the investigation is concluded”.
