In a dramatic turn of events at the court, counsel to the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, Mr. Joseph Daudu, SAN, raised an alarm on Tuesday, stating that the Department of State Service (DSS) was determined to re-arrest his client, even after the court had granted him bail.
Earlier in the day, Justice Nicolas Oweibo had admitted Mr. Godwin Emefiele to bail, setting it at N20 million with one surety of the same amount. The bail was granted following Emefiele’s arraignment by the DSS on two charges of illegal possession of firearms.
However, shortly after the bail was granted, DSS operatives were seen driving the Hillux Pick Up van used to transport Emefiele to court, seemingly indicating their intention to take him back to their detention center.
Mr. Joseph Daudu, SAN, brought this alarming development to the attention of the court, expressing concern over the DSS’s plot to re-arrest Emefiele despite the bail order. He urged the court to allow them to perfect the bail conditions so that Emefiele could be released without further delay.
Though the court acknowledged that Mr. Daudu had fulfilled the necessary bail requirements, Justice Oweibo expressed uncertainty about how to proceed in light of the DSS’s apparent intention to re-arrest the CBN governor. He requested Daudu to give him time to address other matters before the court and asked him to return with a possible resolution.
Meanwhile, the court premises were surrounded by scores of hooded DSS operatives, raising concerns about the potential for an attempt to re-arrest Emefiele despite the court’s decision.
It remains to be seen how the situation will unfold, as the suspended CBN governor seeks to secure his release and defend himself against the charges brought against him. The eyes of the nation are closely watching this high-stakes legal battle, and further developments are eagerly awaited.
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