The suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, has submitted a request to the Federal High Court in Lagos to halt the Federal Government, acting through the Department of State Services (DSS), from further prosecuting him. Emefiele, who was arraigned by the DSS on July 25 for alleged illegal firearm possession, was granted bail but later re-arrested by the DSS.
In a recent plea presented by his legal team, led by Mr. Joseph Daudu, SAN, Emefiele seeks the court’s order to dismiss all charges against him by the DSS. He argues that the DSS’s actions are a direct violation of the court’s existing bail orders issued on July 25, 2023.
Emefiele also requests that the court prohibit the Federal Government from enjoying any privileges from the courts unless it complies with the bail ruling. Under the authority of Section 6(6)(a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), relevant portions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, and the court’s inherent powers, Emefiele urges the court to suspend further proceedings in the ongoing case until he exhausts all legal remedies to ensure the government and the DSS adhere to the court’s bail order.
The Department of State Services has presented opposing arguments, and the court is scheduled to hear Emefiele’s fresh application today.
