DSS Disregards Court Ruling, Rearrests Godwin Emefiele

Department of State Services, DSS, has disregarded and brushed aside the ruling of Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos State on Tuesday and beat up men of the Nigerian Correctional Services, NCS and forcefully rearrested the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele for a new reason the secret police is yet to be accountable to the public.

Lawyers to suspended Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, had earlier raised the alarm during the time within the court premises the DSS and men of the Nigerian Correctional Services were in free for all fight that the Department of State Services, DSS, is planning to re-arrest thier client despite the bail granted him by a Federal High Court in Lagos.

Shortly after the suspended CBN Governor was led out of the court room, he was seen in a video being rearrested by the operatives of the State Security Services.

OsazuwaAkonedo had earlier reported that the officials of the Department of State Services, DSS and men of the Nigerian Correctional Services, NCS, could not control their emotions on Tuesday as both engaged in a fight over who to take into custody, the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele after the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos State granted him ₦20 million bail.

A video posted online showed the uniform of one of the officials of NCS tore while the DSS and men of NCS pushed each other with NCS prison vehicle positioned, waiting for Godwin Emefiele to come out of the court room.

According to Channels Television, the secret police and prison officials clashed over the agency to take custody of the suspended and embattled apex bank chief after Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court in Lagos admitted Emefiele to bail in the sum of the ₦‎20m.

The Court had brushed aside the Federal Government claim that it was not given enough time to respond to the bail application hence her reason of not filing a counter affidavit before the court to challenge the bail application filed by counsel to Godwin Emefiele.

Godwin Emefiele who appeared in Court for the first time since he was suspended in June 2023 and arrested immediately by the Department of State Services, DSS, prayed the court to grant him bail on self recognition.

Godwin Emefiele team of Lawyers led by by Joseph Daudu, SAN, prayed the court to grant the defendant bail on self-recognition and other liberal terms pending the hearing and determination of the trial, noting the non-existence of a counter affidavit from the Federal government.

Daudu stated that the defendant is a renowned banker, asking the court to end what he described as the oppression of his client by the DSS.

The prosecution counsel, opposed the bail application saying that it hasn’t been given enough time to respond.

The Prosecution counsel told the court to dismiss the application, noting that they have information that the defendant has refused to hand in his passport, a situation which suggests that he could jump bail.

Adding that granting the defendant bail is not safe for the prosecution’s witnesses who have come forward to give evidence.

Ruling on the bail application, Justice Nicholas Oweibo stated that there was evidence that the Federal government was served the bail application and therefore granted the suspended CBN governor ₦20 million bail with one surety in like sum.