Court Orders Emefiele’s Release, Nullifies His Detention

Barely 24 hours after a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja ordered the release of the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele, another court declared his arrest and detention by the Department of State Services (DSS) null and void.

Emefiele sought the court’s intervention against the Incorporated Trustees of the Forum for Accountability and Good Leadership, the Attorney General of the Federation, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Inspector General of Police, the State Security Service, and the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The judge ruled that Emefiele’s arrest and detention were in violation of a previous ruling by Justice M. A. Hassan.

Emefiele’s counsel, Peter Abang, requested the court to invalidate his client’s arrest and detention, arguing it was in defiance of Justice M. A. Hassan’s ruling delivered on December 29, 2022.

Delivering the judgment, Justice Bello Kawu agreed that the arrest and detention violated Justice Hassan’s standing order.

The court also nullified any arrest warrant obtained by the DSS and ordered Emefiele’s release from custody.

Following the ruling, Emefiele’s counsel hailed the courage of Nigerian judges and urged the DSS to comply with the court order promptly.

He noted that Emefiele’s health had suffered during his one-month detention and insisted he should be allowed to tend to it.