Godwin Emefiele pleads not guilty

The former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele has pleaded not guilty to a two-count charge of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition leveled against him by the federal government.

Suspended CBN Governor Emefiele arrived at the Federal High Court in Lagos for his arraignment on Tuesday, July 25.

Recall that the embattled CBN Governor has been taken into custody by Nigeria’s secret police, the State Security Service (SSS), hours after President Bola Tinubu suspended him from office.

“The Department of State Services (DSS) hereby confirms that Mr Godwin Emefiele, the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), is now in its custody for some investigative reasons,” Peter Afunanya, the spokesperson for the agency, said in a press statement he shared with PREMIUM TIMES.

Mr. Afunanya did not provide details of when and how Mr Emefiele was arrested and where he is being kept. However, Premium Times learnt the banker was picked up from his home in Lagos and then flown to Abuja guarded by a detachment of operatives. He was then driven to the SSS’ headquarters in the Asokoro District of the nation’s capital when sources said he was being quizzed.