Godwin Emefiele, the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has taken legal action, requesting a federal high court in Lagos to halt the federal government from further prosecuting him. Emefiele is currently facing prosecution by the Department of State Services (DSS) on charges of “illegal possession of a firearm.”
Emefiele’s legal team, led by Joseph Daudu, filed the application seeking a court order to prevent the government from pursuing any additional charges against him. He is also seeking the court’s intervention to have all existing charges against him dropped.
In his application, Emefiele contends that the federal government’s actions amount to a “brazen disobedience” of court orders. He cites a previous bail ruling on July 25, which granted him bail under certain conditions.
Specifically, Emefiele’s application aims to compel the government, through its agencies, to comply with the bail ruling or abstain from taking him before any other court until the conditions are met.
The application emphasizes the importance of preserving the court’s authority, the rule of law, and the integrity of the legal process in a democratic society.
Emefiele’s legal battle began when he was arrested in June and subsequently arraigned on charges of illegal firearm possession on July 25. Despite being granted bail, a dispute arose between the Department of State Services (DSS) and prison officials over his custody.
The DSS sought to maintain custody of Emefiele, leading to a courtroom confrontation. The DSS then filed an application to further detain him, which was later withdrawn. Additionally, the federal government filed an application seeking leave to appeal against the bail order and requesting a change in custody from the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) to the DSS.
Judge Nicholas Oweibo is scheduled to hear the federal government’s application on Thursday. The legal proceedings surrounding Emefiele’s case continue to draw attention as the suspended CBN governor seeks resolution and clarity regarding his legal status.