The suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has pleaded not guilty before a Federal High Court in Lagos to charges of illegal possession of firearms. The charges were brought against him by the federal ministry of Justice, and he was arraigned on a two-count charge related to unlicensed possession of firearms.
Former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Joseph Daudu (SAN), is leading a team of lawyers to defend the suspect in the court proceedings.
In a noteworthy development, a group called the Coalition of Nigerian Civil Society sought permission from the court to hold a watching brief during the arraignment of Emefiele. The group, represented by five senior lawyers, attended the court session and positioned themselves at the back, stating that they are lawyers in defense of democracy. The court granted them permission to observe the proceedings.
The case will continue as the court addresses the charges against the suspended CBN governor and examines the evidence presented by both the prosecution and defense teams.
