A dramatic scene unfolded at the Federal High Court in Lagos today as operatives from the Department of State Services (DSS) and officials of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCS) engaged in a heated dispute over who would retain custody of the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
Emefiele, who was arraigned by the Federal Ministry of Justice on charges of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, entered a plea of “not guilty” and was subsequently granted bail in the sum of N20 million, with one surety.
As the defendant’s legal team sought to fulfill the bail conditions, an intense standoff erupted between the fully hooded DSS operatives and the NCS officials, each vying to take charge of the embattled CBN boss.
Tensions escalated as two Hilux vehicles, one representing each government agency, were strategically positioned near the entrance of the court premises. In an unusual move, the prison service even brought in dogs to bolster their position.
Sources inside the court reported that despite the court granting bail to Emefiele, there were rumblings of the DSS making attempts to rearrest him, further complicating the situation.
The spectacle has drawn attention and concern from the public, as the legal drama continues to unfold. The nation watches with bated breath to see how this custody battle will be resolved and what further developments lie ahead for the suspended CBN Governor.
