Nigerians are eagerly waiting to see if President Bola Tinubu-led administration will obey the rule of law, as Federal High Court in Lagos, on Tuesday, granted the suspended Cenntral Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, leave to serve the Director General, Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Yusuf Magaji Bichi, the order of court admitting him to bail and directing his remand in the custody of Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) by substituted means.
Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, granted the order, following an ex-parte application moved by Emefiele’s counsel, Mrs. Ogonnaya Sonuga.
The court had on July 25, 2023 granted Emefiele N20million bail and ordered that he should be remanded at the NCoS custody after he was arraigned on charges of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
Emefiele is standing trial on a two-count charge bordering on possession of a single barrel shotgun and possession of 123 rounds of live ammunition without licence. He pleaded not guilty to the charge. But, the secret police disobeyed the court’s order and rearrested Emefiele after the proceedings last week.
In an ex-parte application, dated July 28, 2023 which was granted by the Court, Emefiele asked the court for “an order of this honourable court granting leave to the defendant/applicant to serve the complainant through and on the office and person of the Director General, Department of State Services, Mr. Yusuf Magaji Bichi, with the ruling/order of court obtained on July 25, 2023.
“Admitting the defendant/applicant to bail and directing his remand in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service by substituted means to wit: by publishing same in three national daily newspapers circulating within the jurisdiction of this honourable court and which said service will be deemed as good and proper service on the prosecutor/complainant.”
