Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday granted the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, leave to serve the Director General, Department of State Services, Mr Yusuf Bichi, the order of the court admitting him to bail and directing his remand in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service.
Justice Oweibo granted the order following an ex parte application moved by Emefiele’s counsel, Mrs Ogonnaya Sonuga.
The DSS had last week arraigned Emefiele before the judge on two counts bordering illegal possession of firearms.
The DSS said it found Emefiele in possession of a single-barrel shotgun and 123 rounds of live ammunition without licences.
But the defendant pleaded not guilty and was granted N20m bail with one surety in like sum.
“The surety is to file two passport photographs and an affidavit of means. The defendant is to deposit his passport with the court, or if he has none, to depose an affidavit that he has none,” the judge stated.
Justice Oweibo ordered that Emefiele should be remanded in the Ikoyi facility of the Nigerian Correctional Service pending the perfection of the bail conditions.
The DSS, however, rearrested him, stopping the NCoS from taking him to the Ikoyi custodial facility as ordered by the court.
In a bid to enforce the court order for his remand at the Ikoyi facility of the NCoS, Emefiele prayed the court for the leave to serve the order on the DSS DG.
In his ruling, Justice Oweibo granted the prayers.
