The Federal Government of Nigeria has accused the suspended
Governor of its the Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, of financing
terrorism in parts of the country.
The Department of State Security Service, SSS, stated this on Monday in
a counter-affidavit filed at the Federal High Court, Lagos in defense of its
decision to seize Sanusi’s international passport.
Sanusi’s passport was seized by the SSS on February 20, as
he arrived the Lagos international airport, hours after he was suspended as
Central Bank Governor by President Goodluck Jonathan.
The agency said it was investigating Sanusi for allegedly
financing terrorism.
But the ex-CBN chief had applied for perpetual injunction seeking
to restrain the SSS and the police from arresting him.
Sanusi’s lawyer, Kola Awodein, on Monday, described
allegation against his client as an afterthought which government came up with
after seizing Sanusi’s passport.
“The seizure of the applicant’s international passport by the
third respondent, is a violation of his freedom of movement.
“The first to third respondents give conflicting reasons as
to the complaint made against the applicant: This conflict goes to show that
they acted without due process of the law.
“The allegation against the applicant as to funding of
terrorism, is an afterthought by the respondents, which is not backed by facts,
as there is no reasonable suspicion that the applicant committed any crime.
“The law clearly defines how such duties should be performed,
and so, I invite your Lordship to hold that the applicant has a cause of action
against the respondent,” the lawyer told the court.
Following the seizure of his passport by the SSS, Sanusi had
instituted a suit to restrain the nation's security agencies from arresting or harassing
him.
The Attorney General of the Federation, represented by Dr.
Fabian Ajogwu (SAN), and Mr. David Abuo and Mr. Moses Idakwo, representing the
police and the SSS respectively, asked the court on Monday to dismiss Sanusi’s
suit for lack of jurisdiction.
Justice Ibrahim Buba has adjourned sitting till April 3.
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