A federal capital territory high court in Maitama has fixed July 13 to rule on a fundamental human rights suit instituted by Godwin Emefiele, suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
On June 9, President Bola Tinubu suspended Emefiele and asked him to transfer his responsibilities to Folashodun Adebisi Shonubi, deputy governor, operations directorate.
The day after, the DSS announced that Emefiele was in its custody for “some investigative reasons”.
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Through his lawyer Joseph Daudu, Emefiele filed a suit against the DSS and the attorney-general of the federation (AGF) seeking to enforce his fundamental rights.
On Friday, Hamza Muazu, presiding judge, ordered the respondents to immediately allow Emefiele access to his lawyers and family.
At the court session on Tuesday, Tijjani Ghazali, counsel to the AGF, informed the court that the first respondent is challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the case brought before it by the applicant.
He said Emefiele’s arrest and detention by the DSS is an administrative decision of an arm of the executive.
The DSS is also challenging the court’s jurisdiction to hear the suit, insisting that there is a subsisting order of a chief magistrate court for Emefiele’s detention.
The respondents prayed the court to dismiss the application with cost against the applicant.
In his submission, Daudu insisted that the court has the jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
According to him, the offences listed against his client are state offences that can be entertained by the FCT high court.
(Cable)
