Confusion In Court As DSS, Prison Officials Clash Over Custody Of Suspended CBN Governor

Officials of the Department of State Security, DSS, and Correctional Services on Tuesday clashed on the premises of the Federal High Court, Lagos over an attempt by the DSS to re-arrest the suspended governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.

Mr Emefiele was charged by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation under the Ministry of Justice on a two-count charge of illegal possession of firearms.

After pleading not-guilty to the charge, Justice Nicholas Oweibo had granted Mr Emefiele bail in the sum of twenty million naira with one surety in like sum.

The court adjourned the case until Nov. 14 for trial and had ordered a remand of the defendant in the correctional service pending perfection of his bail.

Meanwhile, after the case was adjourned, the defendant remained in the courtroom several hours after the case ended.

The court environment was filled with armed men of the DSS, who were seen waiting at the entrance to the courtroom where the defendant was arraigned.

When a top official of the Nigerian Correctional Service attempted to take the defendant into custody as ordered by the court, officials of the DSS resisted the move.

the secrete officers, brandishing their guns, pushed the senior official of the correctional service and prevented him from taking custody of the suspended CBN governor.

As at the time of filing this report, Mr Emefiele was still inside the courtroom and the Prison Squadron Commander and his men have withdrawn from the court’s vicinity.