Behind EFCC Den: Emefiele’s Fate Hangs As Court Fixes Date To Hear Request

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting at Maitama has slated Monday to hear an application that is seeking the unconditional release of the embattled former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN) Godwin Emefiele, from detention.

Justice O.A. Adeniyi okayed the matter for hearing after he ordered counsel for the erstwhile CBN Governor to put all the Respondents on notice to enable them to respond to the suit.

Cited as Respondents in the suit marked: FCT/HC/CV/040/2023, are the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, as well as the anti-graft agency itself.

Emefiele had in an ex-parte motion he filed before the court, sought an order to compel the EFCC to release him from custody, pending the determination of his fundamental right enforcement suit.

Alternatively, he prayed the court to grant him bail.

It will be recalled that President Bola Tinubu had on June 9, suspended Emefiele from office as the head of the apex bank.

He was later arrested the next day at his Lagos residence by the Department of State Services, DSS.

Emefiele had since then, faced a two-count charge of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition before the Federal High Court in Lagos, as well as a 20-count corruption charge that the Federal Government entered against him and two others before an Abuja High Court sitting at Maitama.

However, proceedings in both cases were put on hold, following the decision of the defendants to explore a plea bargain deal with FG.

The former CBN boss was subsequently transferred to the EFCC detention facility, by the DSS.