Officials of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) and the personnel of Department of State Services (DSS) were engaged in a physical tussle over the custody of suspended Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
The disagreement occurred following a court ruling where Emefiele was granted bail in the amount of 20 million naira.
Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court in Lagos also ordered that Emefiele be remanded at the correctional center until bail conditions were met.
DSS operatives attempted to take Emefiele back to their detention center, which led to Emefiele’s lead counsel, Joseph Daudu and other lawyers raising concerns over DSS plans to rearrest their client.
Following the recent court ruling, Emefiele remained inside the courtroom alongside his legal team.
However, when the prison officials moved to take Emefiele into custody pending the fulfillment of his bail conditions, the secret police challenged them and it led to a fight.
Earlier, Emefiele, 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.
He said, “There is no counter affidavit from the Federal Government opposing bail. Also, the defendant is a renowned banker and can only stay at his house, he can’t travel anywhere.”
However, counsel for the Federal Government, Nkiru Jones-Nebo, in an oral submission, opposed the bail application, insisting that the prosecution had not been given time to respond in line with the provisions of fair hearing enshrined in the constitution.
She also said that the prosecution had information that the defendant’s refusal to hand in his passport suggested his capacity to evade and abscond from his trial.
“As the governor of the CBN, he is a powerful man, and can intimidate the witnesses. Granting him bail will intimidate the prosecution witnesses who have come forward to give evidence. He can evade trial based on his antecedents. We urge the court to dismiss the bail application,” she argued.
But the court overruled the Federal Government.