Despite the order by the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, the Department of State Services (DSS) has returned the suspended governor of the Central Bank (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele to custody.
The court had earlier granted bail to Emefiele after he pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge bordering on the alleged illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
Justice Nicholas Oweibo, who granted the bail, ordered that Emefiele be remanded in the correctional centre until he fulfills his bail conditions.
However, officials of the secret police and their counterparts in the Nigerian Correctional Services were engaged in a physical fight over the suspended CBN governor’s custody.
The fight occurred in front of Oweibo’s courtroom in Ikoyi, Lagos.
A few minutes later, officials of the DSS succeeded in taking the suspended governor of the regulatory bank away from the court.
Earlier, Emefiele pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge bordering on alleged illegal possession of firearms.
The Federal Government had accused Emefiele of having in his possession 123 rounds of live ammunition (cartridges) without a licence.
After Emefiele took his plea, his counsels, led by Mr. Joseph Daodu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, informed the court of a bail application.
Daodu prayed that the court should grant bail to his client on self recognisance or on other liberal terms, pending the hearing and determination of the trial.
“There is no counter affidavit from the federal government, this is an unopposed application. He is a renowned banker and can only stay at his house. He can’t travel anywhere”, Daodu said.
But a Deputy Director of Drosecution at the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Nkiru Nebo-Jones opposed the bail application, saying she has not seen a copy of the document.
Daodu said the Office of the AGF was served the document of the bail application, adding that the proof of service endorsed by the AGF’s office was in the court’s file.
The court granted N20 million bail to Emefiele on the ground that the charges against him are bailable.
The bail was granted with one surety in like sum.
