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HE Federal Government, yesterday, said it WAs investigating suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, on suspicions of being a major financier of terrorism in the country.
This was revealed by the Department of State Services, DSS, in a counter-affidavit to the suit filed by Sanusi before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, in which he is seeking to restrain the Police and operatives of DSS from arresting, detaining or otherwise harassing him.
The DSS told the court that it impounded Sanusi’s international passport because of on-going investigations over alleged terrorism financing.
Further in the counter-affidavit, DSS argued that it was absurd for Sanusi to say that an interaction with DSS for less than an hour amounted to a violation of his rights.
It argued that the provisions of Section 6 of the National Security Agencies Act empowered the service to impound the international passports of suspects pending conclusion of investigations.
It would be recalled that upon Sanusi’s arrival at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on February 20, the DSS impounded his international passport.
No evidence of such against me —Sanusi
However, Sanusi has denied being a financier of terrorists, insisting that the Federal Government had failed to substantiate the allegation of terrorism financing levelled against him.
Sanusi, who spoke through his counsel, Mr Kola Awodein, SAN, at the resumed hearing in his fundamental human rights enforcement suit before the Federal High Court in Lagos, said 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 court adjourned till April 3, 2014 to rule on the fundamental rights suit by Sanusi.
Respondents in the suit are the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, Inspector-General of Police, IG and DSS.
