Adedapo Adesanya
By Adedapo Adesanya
The suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, on Tuesday, approached the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, to challenge his detention by the Department of State Services (DSS).
In his originating motion on notice, Mr Emefiele begged the court to enforce his right to liberty and freedom of movement, as there is no basis for his continuous detention.
However, the federal government and the DSS have insisted that the detention of the suspended CBN Governor is lawful.
In a preliminary objection filed against the fundamental rights enforcement suit instituted by Mr Emefiele, the government and the DSS told the Federal Capital Territory High Court that the detention was backed by an order of a magistrates’ court and prayed for the court to dismiss the motion with cost.
They noted that the arrest of the former CBN governor was an administrative decision of the DSS.
The federal government is also challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the suit, as the originating motion filed by Mr Emefiele ought to have sought that the court set aside the order for his detention rather than seek enforcement of rights.
The DSS, on its part, is also challenging the motion for bail filed by Mr Emefiele.
The case has been adjourned till July 13 for a ruling.
On June 10, President Bola Tinubu suspended Mr Emefiele from his office as Governor of the central bank and replaced him with one of his deputies.
Shortly after his suspension, the DSS announced that the embattled CBN Governor was in its custody hours after videos surfaced online of the banker being flown to the intelligence agency’s headquarters.
Earlier, the DSS denied that he was in their custody.
The federal government had explained that the suspension was to allow an “ongoing investigation of his office and the planned reforms in the financial sector of the economy.”
Mr Emefiele is being fingered for the mismanagement of the nation’s treasury and monetary policies under his former principal, Mr Muhammadu Buhari.
