A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Department of States Security Services to release the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele from custody.
The presiding judge, Justice Bello Kawu, also nullified the arrest, detention and interrogation of Emefiele by the secret service.
The court gave the order while delivering judgment in an Originating Motion on Notice brought before it by Emefiele, against Incorporated Trustees of Forum for Accountability and Good Leadership, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Inspector General of Police, State Security Service (SSS) or DSS and the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Justice Kawu held that the arrest, detention and interrogation of Emefiele were in violation of the subsisting judgment and orders of Justice M. A. Hassan in Suit No. FCT/HC/GAR/CV/41/2022.
The court also gave an order setting aside, voiding, quashing, invalidating and nullifying any warrant of arrest obtained or procured by the respondents, especially the DSS for the arrest, detention and/or interrogation of Mr. Emefiele in connection with the allegations of terrorism financing, fraudulent practices, money laundering, round tripping, threat to national security before or from any court since the date of the judgment of Justice M. A. Hassan.
Emefiele through his counsel, Peter Abang, had asked the court to set aside, quash, invalidate and nullify the arrest and detention of the Applicant for being illegal and a nullity in view of the subsisting judgment of Justice Hassan, delivered on December 29, 2022.
A Federal Capital Teritorry High Court in Abuja, ordered the DSS to file charges against Emefiele within a week or release him.
