In a recent development, a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja has made a significant decision regarding the detention of Godwin Emefiele, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria. The court dismissed an application filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) to extend Emefiele’s detention.
The discreet application was reportedly filed by the DSS’s legal team on Wednesday, purportedly based on newly obtained evidence. However, Justice Hamza Muazu ruled against the application, citing an abuse of court process and lack of jurisdiction.
The DSS had taken action following Emefiele’s re-arrest from the court premises in Lagos, after the court had initially ordered his remand in a Correctional Centre while awaiting the fulfillment of his bail conditions.
During the proceedings, the DSS’s counsel, Victor Ejelonu, decided to withdraw the application in light of the judge’s concerns about the court’s jurisdiction. The judge highlighted that the exclusive rights to grant detention orders, under sections 293 and 296 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, rest with the Magistrate Court.
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This ruling marks a significant turn of events in the ongoing legal saga involving Godwin Emefiele and the Department of State Services. The dismissed application means that the DSS cannot extend Emefiele’s detention further, and he may proceed with the legal process in line with the court’s decisions.
