By Enyichukwu Enemanna
A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, has granted a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, bail.
The presiding judge, Justice Olukayode Adeniyi ordered that Emefiele be released immediately to his lawyers.
His legal representatives were also charged with the responsibility of producing the embattled formed central bank chief in court for his arraignment next week or at any other day.
The former apex bank chief must also deposit his travel documents before the chief registrar of the court, pending his arraignment, the judge ordered.
While underlining that there must be an end to detention, without trial, the court says it also must not overlook the fact that Emefiele has been in detention for 151 days.
He cautioned the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Attorney General of the Federation to abide by the order of the court granting Emefiele bail.
Emefiele was recently re-arrested by anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), same day he was released from the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).
The substantive motion on notice as well as the preliminary objection, were adjourned to November 17, 2023 for hearing.
Emefiele’s travails started when President Bola Tinubu suspended him as the apex bank chief on June 9, 2023.
A day after, the Department of State Services (DSS) confirmed that the embattled and suspended CBN chief was in its custody.
After several legal fireworks by Emefiele’s counsel challenging his prolonged detention by the DSS, the secret police bowed to pressure on July 13, 2023 and announced that the suspended apex bank chief had been charged to court.
Emefiele was brought to a Lagos court by DSS operatives in a hilux vehicle on Tuesday, July 25, 2023.
Appearing before Justice Oweibo, Emefiele, 61, pleaded “not guilty” to the two counts of illegal possession of firearm and ammunition filed against him by the Federal Government.
Later in August, the DSS withdrew its charges against Emefiele.
The President, Bola Tinubu has repeatedly stated that Emefiele made futile attempt to stop him from winning the February 25 presidential election as the candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC).
He cited the Naira notes scarcity at that moment as an effort targeted at him, an allegation Emefiele who worked on the instruction of immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari who shares same political family with Tinubu, has denied.
