Court Awards N100m Against FG Over Detention Of Former CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has awarded a cost of N100m against the federal government of Nigeria for violating the right to personal liberty of former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.

The cost was awarded on Monday by Justice Olukayode Adeniyi while ruling on a fundamental right enforcement suit filed by Emefiele challenging his unlawful detention for over five months by agents of the federal government (DSS and EFCC) without being charged to court.

Justice Adeniyi also restrained the federal government from further re-arresting Emefiele without an order of court.

The court held it was time to put an end to the unlawful practice of arrest before investigations.

Naija News recalls Emefiele was first arrested by the operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) in June last year after he was suspended from office by President Bola Tinubu.

He was initially arraigned on charges bordering on illegal possession of firearms but the charges were later withdrawn.

However, the former CBN governor is standing trial on a six-count charge of procurement fraud.

On November 22, he was granted bail in the sum of N300 million with two sureties in like sum. After fulfilling the conditions of his bail, the former CBN Governor was released from Kuje Correctional Centre, where he was remanded.