The High Court in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) made a significant ruling on Thursday as it struck out an application filed by the State Security Service (SSS) seeking to extend the detention of the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, for 14 more days.
The SSS had sought the court’s order for an extended detention, claiming to have uncovered fresh evidence warranting the request. The application, filed on Wednesday, was a desperate attempt by the SSS to justify its disobedience to a Federal High Court order in Lagos that granted bail to Mr. Emefiele earlier in the week. The Lagos court had allowed him bail after he pleaded not guilty to charges of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition brought against him by the SSS.
However, in defiance of the court’s order, SSS operatives prevented prison officials from taking custody of Mr. Emefiele at the court premises, leading to a clash between the two federal agencies. The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) condemned the conduct of the involved agents and called for a probe to hold the erring officers accountable.
Mr. Emefiele had been in the custody of the SSS for 47 days following his arrest on June 10, a day after President Bola Tinubu suspended him from office. The SSS charged him with illegal possession of firearms about 35 days after his arrest, only after a court in Abuja ordered the agency to either release him or prosecute him.
As the legal battle continues, Mr. Emefiele’s case has drawn considerable attention, and the outcome will be closely monitored by the public and legal experts alike.
