Godwin Emefiele, the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has taken legal action to halt the federal government’s ongoing prosecution against him. Emefiele’s move comes as he seeks to restrain the government from pursuing charges related to “illegal possession of a firearm,” a case being handled by the Department of State Services (DSS).
Emefiele is also requesting the court to issue an order discharging him from all charges brought against him. He alleges that the federal government’s actions constitute “brazen disobedience” of court orders issued on July 25, which granted him bail.
In an application filed by Joseph Daudu, Emefiele’s legal counsel, on Tuesday, the suspended CBN governor is aiming to safeguard the integrity of the court and uphold the rule of law within a democratic framework.
Emefiele’s detention began following his arrest in June, with the subsequent arraignment on charges of illegal firearm possession on July 25 at a federal high court in Ikoyi. He was granted bail in the sum of N20 million and ordered to be held in the custody of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) until bail conditions were met.
A contentious situation arose when the DSS contested the custody arrangement, leading to a standoff between the secret police and prison officials. Following the altercation, Emefiele was re-arrested on the court premises.
Additionally, the DSS had previously sought to extend Emefiele’s detention through an application at a high court of the federal capital territory. However, this application was withdrawn by the service due to jurisdictional concerns.
Adding to the legal proceedings, the federal government filed an application on August 3 before the federal high court in Lagos, aiming to appeal against the bail order and requesting a stay of execution of the remand order in favor of the DSS’s custody.
Presiding Judge Nicholas Oweibo has scheduled a hearing for Thursday to address the federal government’s application. The unfolding legal battle continues to draw attention as Emefiele asserts his rights and seeks to navigate the complex legal landscape.