Anxiety in CBN over security agencies’ invite to officers

• ‘Deputy governor Ahmad was questioned, not arrested’

The words, ‘Who is next?’ may have been used more frequently in recent times among staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as security agencies and investigators extend their dragnets to the institution.

The apex bank has been clouded with uncertainty since its governor, Godwin Emefiele, was whisked away and arraigned in court over alleged infractions.

Anxiety at the bank went a notch further when the deputy governor, Aisha Ahmad, was led away, recently, by personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS).

No official reason was given as to why Ahmad was picked. At the weekend, however, it was revealed that Ahmad was not arrested but ‘invited’ for questioning. A source close to happenings at the CBN said, being a top official of the bank, an invitation was merely extended to her to provide clarifications.

“There is nothing strange about the invitation. An invitation is different from arrest. Ahmad was not arrested at all. She was asked questions; to which she provided explanations and she was promptly told to go,” the source explained.

Also, the source confirmed the uneasiness that has enveloped the bank since the gale of invitations began, saying: “What is happening in the bank is not totally unexpected. How can people work without any fear when their colleagues are in and out of investigators’ and security agencies’ premises? Many staff are not at ease at all. Though the acting governor is trying his best in instilling confidence in the staff, things are not back to normal and may not be normal, in the short term, or until the gale of invitations reduces.”