Victor EzejaThe Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), has called on the authorities of the Department of State Services (DSS) and Nigeria Correctional Service (NCS) to discipline their officials involved in the clash that occurred between them on Tuesday at the Federal High Court in Lagos after the arraignment of the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Godwin Emefiele.
In a statement signed by the NBA National Publicity Secretary, Akorede Lawal, the association described the actions of the two government agencies as disgraceful, adding that it is a recipe for anarchy.
Emefiele was on Tuesday, brought to the court by the DSS where he was arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on illegal possession of firearm and ammunition, filed against him by the Federal Government.
READ ALSO: Breaking: DSS, Prisons Tussle Over Emefiele’s Custody
The embattled CBN boss was subsequently granted bail in the sum of N20 million and ordered that he should be kept in the custodial facility of the NCS pending when he perfects his bail conditions.
However, DSS operatives’ attempt to re-arrest him led to a clash between the agency and the NCS over who should take custody of Emefiele
Reacting to the incident, the NBA stated that the clash between the two federal institutions poses a threat to national security given their critical role in the security and administration of justice in the country.
The statement said the NBA president, Yakubu Maikyau (SAN), called on the two agencies to take disciplinary actions against their personnel.
“A situation where officers of Federal Government agencies engage in a fight as witnessed by the public, for whatever reason, is antithetical to our security as a nation and creates a recipe for anarchy and chaos. Both the DSS and the NCoS are important institutions dealing with national security and administration of justice respectively, and the need for them to work in concert towards attaining justice in a secured Nigeria cannot be over emphasized,” part of the statement read.
It added “the President has particularly called on the two agencies to take immediate disciplinary measures against the officers involved in this disgraceful conduct.
“In addition to this disciplinary measure, Mr. Maikyau also advised a complete overhaul of the institutions and a total reorientation of the personnel, to achieve professionalism and ensure synergy in the discharge of their respective constitutional responsibilities.”
It also observed that the lack of discipline and absence of professionalism among security institutions had impacted the ongoing fight against insecurity in the country.
“The lack of discipline and absence of professionalism among security institutions continue to plague key security institutions in Nigeria, which, without doubt, is largely responsible for the limited progress in achieving a coordinated response to security concerns across the country,” the statement added.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
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