The Department of State Services (DSS)’s arrest and detention of suspended Central Bank of Nigeria Governor Godwin Emefiele were found null and void by another court a day after a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja ordered his release.
Emefiele sought the court to take action against the State Security Service, the Attorney General of the Federation, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Incorporated Trustees of the Forum for Accountability and Good Leadership, and the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Emefiele’s arrest and detention, according to the judge, violated a previous ruling by Justice M. A. Hassan.
Peter Abang, Emefiele’s lawyer, asked the court to overturn his client’s arrest and detention on the grounds that it was against Justice M. A. Hassan’s ruling delivered on December 29, 2022.
Justice Bello Kawu, who gave the verdict, agreed that the arrest and detention were against Justice Hassan’s standing order.
The court also ordered Emefiele’s release from custody and ruled any arrest warrants acquired by the DSS as invalid.
After the ruling, Emefiele’s lawyer commended the bravery of Nigerian judges and encouraged the DSS to quickly abide by the court’s order.
He emphasized the need for him to be permitted to attend to Emefiele’s health, which had deteriorated during his one-month detention.
Ada Peter
