There was an exchange of blows at the premises of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi between operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Correctional Service.
The reason for the scuffle was who would have custody of the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.
Recall that the Federal High Court in Ikoyi granted Emefiele bail, but ordered the Nigeria Correctional Service to keep the suspended CBN Governor in their custody pending the perfection of his bail.
Shortly after the court’s ruling, there were strong indications that the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Emefiele, who has been granted bail by Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court Lagos would be re-arrested by officers of the Department of State Services (DSS).
This indication was propelled by the presence of well-armed operatives milling around the entrance door to the court room.
The DSS positioned their security Toyota Hilux jeep close to the entrance of the court and refused to leave the court premises.
READ ALSO: UPDATED: DSS finally re-arrests Emefiele after 2-hour standoff
Sensing the agenda of the DSS, operatives of the Nigeria Correctional Service decided to weigh in, insisting that the court order expressly ordered them to have custody of Emefiele.
Things got to a head between the two government security agencies until they started throwing punches in public.
Meanwhile, Emefiele’s lawyers are still seated in the court while the judge is trying to prevail on the DSS to allow the defendant perfect his bail terms instead of re-arresting him.
President Bola Tinubu had suspended Emefiele as the apex bank chief on June 9, 2023. A day after, the DSS confirmed that the embattled and suspended CBN chief was in its custody.
After several legal fireworks by Emefiele’s counsel challenging his prolonged detention by the DSS, the secret police bowed to pressure on July 13, 2023 and announced that the suspended apex bank chief has been charged to court.
Emefiele was brought to court by DSS operatives in a hilux vehicle on Tuesday, July 25, 2023.
Appearing before Justice Oweibo, Emefiele, 61, pleaded “not guilty” to the two counts of illegal possession of firearm and ammunition filed against him by the Federal Government.
In his submissions, Emefiele’s lawyer, Daudu, urged the court to grant bail on self recognizance or on other liberal terms, pending the hearing and determination of the trial.
