The lawyer for suspended and jailed Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele, Joseph Daudu, has stated that his client’s case will put President Bola Tinubu’s respect for the rule of law to the test.
The senior lawyer revealed this on Thursday, shortly after the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja issued a seven-day deadline to the Department of State Services (DSS) to either free Emefiele, who has been detained since June 10, or arraign him in court if they have a case against him.
The order was issued by Justice Hamza Muazu while ruling on a fundamental rights enforcement petition filed by Emefiele, via Daudu, to challenge his arrest and continuing imprisonment by the DSS.
JUST IN: Suspended CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele Arrested By DSS
The judge ruled that Emefiele’s continuing detention by the secret police without trial constituted a serious breach of his fundamental human rights.
In a press conference following the proceedings, Dauda praised the court for its brave decision, adding that he expected the DSS to follow the judgment.
He also urged the President to show Nigerians that government agencies would not defy valid court rulings while he was in office.
He said, “Seven days has been given to the DSS to either charge him (Emefiele) to court or release him on administrative bail.
“We expect him to be released on administrative bail today (Thursday) as we speak in obedience to the court order.
JUST IN: Emefiele Is Not In Our Custody – DSS
“I don’t think that the President would like to start his administration with organisations under him disobeying court orders.
“He was at the forefront to chastise the military government for disobeying court orders. Now, power is in his hands, we will see if he will obey court orders.”
Meanwhile, the DSS has announced that Godwin Emefiele, the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, has been charged in court.
In a statement issued by its spokesperson, Peter Afunanya, the DSS stated that it requested for a court order to detain Emefiele in 2022, but he obtained another order preventing the DSS from arresting him.
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