The Department of State Services has re-arrested the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.
Emefiele’s re-arrest occurred on the premises of the Federal High Court in Lagos, sitting in Ikoyi, after Justice Nicholas Oweibo granted him bail in the sum of N20 million.
The judge also ordered that Emefiele be remanded at the correctional center pending the fulfillment of the bail conditions.
Shortly after the ruling, Emefiele’s lead counsel, Joseph Daudu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, and other lawyers, raised the alarm about their client’s planned re-arrest by the secret police.
Emefiele stayed in the courtroom with his lawyers, when it was clear that he might be re-arrested.
However, when the prison officials moved to take Emefiele into custody pending the fulfillment of his bail conditions, the DSS challenged them.
The prison officials then exited the court in their vehicle, while the DSS operatives led the suspended CBN governor out of the courtroom into their waiting hilux.
President Bola Tinubu had suspended Emefiele as the apex bank boss on June 9, 2023 over weighty allegations of corruption.
Appearing before Justice Oweibo on Tuesday, Emefiele had pleaded “not guilty” to the two counts of illegal possession of firearm and ammunition filed against him by the Federal Government.
The trial has been fixed for November 14, 2023.
In his ruling on the bail application, Justice Oweibo said, “I find and hold that the prosecution has failed to establish why the defendant should not be granted bail.
“Consequently the defendant is admitted to bail in the sum of 20 million naira with one surety in like sum.
“The surety must be the owner of a landed property within the jurisdiction of the court who must not be less than Level 16 in the Nigerian Civil Service.
“The defendant must deposit his international passport to the court.
“Case is adjourned to 14th of November for trial.”
