Justice Bello Kawu of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Apo, Abuja, has ruled that the continued detention of the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, by the Department of State Service (DSS) is illegal, null, and void. The judgment came in response to a fresh suit filed by Emefiele challenging his incarceration by the DSS.
This ruling by Justice Kawu follows another court order issued by Justice Hamza Muazu, directing the DSS to either charge Emefiele to court within seven days for his alleged crimes or release him.
In the judgment, Justice Kawu held that the arrest, detention, and interrogation of Emefiele violated the existing judgment and orders issued by Justice M. A. Hassan in Suit No. FCT/HC/GAR/CV/41/2022. Emefiele’s counsel, Peter Abang, requested the court to nullify his client’s arrest and detention, citing the subsisting judgment delivered by Justice M. A. Hassan on December 29, 2022.
Justice Kawu further ordered the DSS to comply with the previous decision of the court, which prohibited them from harassing, arresting, and detaining Emefiele over charges that had already been decided upon.
Emefiele had been detained by the DSS since June 10 on allegations of economic sabotage, threat to national security, and other criminal offenses, following his suspension by President Tinubu. The court’s ruling emphasizes the importance of upholding the rule of law and protecting personal liberties, showcasing the courage of Nigerian judges to dispense justice impartially.
Emefiele’s legal counsel, Abang, called on the DSS to immediately release his client, highlighting his deteriorating health due to over a month of illegal detention