The suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, is facing 20 fresh charges as the federal government takes legal action against him. The government, led by the Bola Tinubu administration, has also applied to withdraw the previous case involving “illegal possession of firearms” that was filed against Emefiele at the Federal High Court in Lagos.
The decision to withdraw the firearms case follows the outcome of further investigations, as stated by the Director of Public Prosecutions at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mohammed Bakodo Abubakar, during proceedings before Justice Nicholas Oweibo. The government, however, has not stopped at this withdrawal and has initiated a new legal action against Emefiele.
Reports indicate that the new charges, totaling 20 counts, have been filed against Emefiele in Abuja at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court. Among these charges, one count specifically accuses Emefiele of “conferring unlawful advantages.”
This development comes after Emefiele was granted bail on July 25 on charges related to illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. The judge had set bail conditions and ordered Emefiele’s remand at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre. However, events took an unexpected turn when the Department of State Service (DSS) re-arrested Emefiele, leading to a standoff with Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) officials at the court premises.
The legal proceedings surrounding Godwin Emefiele have taken a complex and dramatic turn, reflecting a high-stakes legal battle that is closely watched by the public and legal experts alike. The fresh charges and the decision to withdraw the firearms case add a layer of intrigue to the ongoing case, leaving many to wonder about the future developments and implications for the suspended CBN governor.
