Today, Thursday, 13th July 2023, the court has made a ruling on the case involving Godwin Emefiele, the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria. The lawsuit was filed by Emefiele to contest his arrest and imprisonment by the Department of State Services (DSS). The court's decision will determine the fate of his basic human rights in this matter.
Emefiele's arrest took place on June 10, shortly after President Bola Tinubu removed him from office and initiated an investigation into the CBN. The DSS detained him, leading to the legal battle surrounding his detainment and the alleged violation of his human rights.
Represented by his attorney, Joseph Daudu (SAN), Emefiele filed the lawsuit before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja, claiming that his human rights were violated. The respondents in the case include the Attorney General of the Federation, the Director General of the DSS, and the DSS itself.
In preliminary objections, the respondents have challenged the court's jurisdiction to hear the case and have requested its dismissal. The DSS argued during the June 20 sitting that Emefiele's detention was legal, as they had obtained an order from an FCT Chief Magistrates' Court to hold him in custody until the investigation was completed.
The Attorney General of the Federation's attorney, Tijjani Ghazali (SAN), urged the court not to intervene, stating that Emefiele's arrest and imprisonment by the DSS were administrative decisions made by the executive branch of the government. However, Emefiele's attorney, Daudu, disagreed and maintained the validity of the case.