June 20, (THEWILL) – The suspended governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, will on July 13, know his fate, over his detention in the custody of the Directorate of State Services (DSS).
THEWILL recalls that President Bola Tinubu on Friday, June 9, approved the suspension of Emefiele as Governor of the apex bank, over “an ongoing investigation of his office and the planned reforms in the financial sector of the Nigerian economy.”
Emefiele, who was subsequently arrested, has been in the custody of the secret service.
A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, sitting in Maitama District, had on Friday, June 16, ordered the Director-General of the DSS, Yusuf Bichi, to allow Emefiele unrestricted access to his lawyers and family.
Justice Hamza Muazu gave the order following an application filed by his counsel, J.B. Daudu (SAN), challenging the detention of Emefiele.
The court adjourned until Tuesday, June 20, hearing on the substantive suit.
Emefiele in his originating motion on notice, is praying the court to enforce his freedom to liberty and movement, as there are no basis for his continuous detention.
In a preliminary objection filed against the fundamental rights enforcement suit, the Attorney General of the federation (AGF), as well as the DSS, on Tuesday, insisted that the detention of Emefiele is lawful.
Noting that the arrest of the former CBN governor was an administrative decision of the DSS, the AGF said there is a subsisting order of a court to detain Emefiele.
The AGF also challenged the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the suit, as the originating motion filed by Emefiele ought to have prayed the court to set aside the order for his detention rather than seek enforcement of rights.
However, after listening to Counsels in the matter, the Court fixed July 13 for ruling.
