The Department of State Services (DSS) has been ordered to charge the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele to court or release him on bail.
The Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, gave the order on Thursday when it sat on the case on its jurisdiction to hear the suit filed by Emefiele challenging his arrest and detention by the DSS.
According to the court, the DSS should charge Emefiele to court within one week or release him on administrative bail.
President Bola Tinubu had on June 9, 2023, suspended Emefiele as the CBN Governor, paving the way for his arrest and subsequent detention by the DSS.
However, the counsel to the suspended Emefiele, Joseph Daudu (SAN), in the suit before the court, alleged a violation of his client’s human rights.
Joined as respondents in the suit are the Attorney General of the Federation; the Director General of the DSS and the DSS, who have filed preliminary objections, challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the case and urging that the suit be dismissed.
The DSS, through its counsel, I. Awo had on June 20 told Justice Hamza Muazu that Emefiele’s detention was lawful as the DSS had got an order from an FCT Chief Magistrates’Court to keep him in custody pending the conclusion of an investigation.
While the counsel for the AGF, Tijjani Ghazali (SAN), argued that Emefiele’s arrest and detention by the DSS was an administrative decision of the executive arm of government, asking the court to stay clear.
Disagreeing with them, Emefiele’s lawyer maintained that the suit had merit.
After listening to the arguments on Thursday however, the court gave the DSS seven days to charge Emefiele to court or release him from detention.