The suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, has commenced moves to regain his freedom from the custody of the Department of State Services pending when a final decision will be made about him.
On Friday, the embattled apex bank boss secured the order of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, which directed the Director-General of the DSS, Yusuf Bichi, to allow him access to his lawyers and family members.
Emefiele was arrested by the DSS on Saturday, a day after his suspension by President Bola Tinubu.
He is currently undergoing interrogation at the secret police’s headquarters in Abuja for alleged terrorism financing, economic sabotage, mismanagement of forex and the naira redesign policy, among others.
Justice Hamza Muazu of the FCT High Court made the order on Friday, stating that access to his lawyers and family members was Emefiele’s constitutional right.
The enrolled order dated Friday, June 16, 2023, read in part, “The lawyers of the applicant shall have access to the applicant immediately and regularly at reasonable time, pending the determination of the application.”
The order followed an application filed by Emefiele’s counsel, J. B. Daudu, SAN, who told the court that the DSS had failed to respond to letters requesting access to the suspended apex bank boss.
The respondents in the suit are the Attorney-General of the Federation, the DG DSS and the DSS as a body.
Counsel for the second and third respondents, I. Awo, asserted that the DSS was not known to reject such requests in the past and that the denial of access was inappropriate.
Awo was certain that the security service would abide by the court order and allow the listed lawyers and family members to visit Emefiele.
The office of the Attorney-General of the Federation did not oppose the application.
Meanwhile, counsel for the DSS and the AGF office requested an extension of time to file their responses to the originating motion.
The court granted the request and adjourned to Tuesday, June 19, 2023, for hearing of the substantive suit.
