Godwin Emefiele: 5 things you should know as DSS rearrest suspended CBN gov in court

Godwin Emefiele, the suspended and embattled governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has been remanded in Ikoyi Prison until he meets with his bail applications, but he was re-arrested by the operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS) at the court premises.

The bailed application for the embattled and suspended CBN governor included N20 million and a surety in the sum, Premium Times reported.

Below are five things you should know about Emefiele's detention

Emefiele's offences are bailable

Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the federal high court in Ikoyi Lagos ruled that the charges against the embattled CBN governor can be bailed.

Emefiele, through his lawyer, Joseph Daodu, filed his bail application before the court and pleaded not guilty to two count charges: illegal possession of firearms and live ammunition.

Emefiele asks the court to grant him bail based on self-recognition

Daodu earlier told the court that Emefiele should be granted bail based on self-recognition or other liberal terms until the court concludes the hearing and takes a decision on the trial.

According to Daodu: “There is no counter affidavit from the federal government. This is an unopposed application. He is a renowned banker and can only stay at his house. He can’t travel anywhere.”

Emefiele refuses to hand over his passport to DSS

Nkiru Jones-Nebo, the deputy director of prosecution at the office of the attorney general of the federation, told the court to reject Emefiele's bail application, saying that the federal governor was not given enough time to respond.

Jones-Nebo told the court that they have the information that Emefiele refused to hand over his passport, and that suggested that the suspended CBN governor may evade and abscond from his trial.

DSS, Prison officials go physical over Emefiele's custody

The DSS and Nigeria Correctional Service (NCS) operatives were seen in viral fighting over who will take custody of Emefiele after the court granted him bail.

However, the standard practice required that Emefiele should be in the custody of the NCS after the court has granted him bail.

Controversies around Emefiele's arrest

Emefiele was arrested after his suspension as CBN governor by President Bola Tinubu. He was reportedly planning to contest for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ticket while in office with campaign pictures and cars sighted in some parts of the country, including Abuja.

The failure of Emefiele to denounce the news of his presidential aspiration compounded the issue, and he had been seen making several moves that were contrary to his office.