Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court in Lagos granted the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, leave to serve the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Yusuf Magaji Bichi, by substituted means.
The order pertains to the court's ruling admitting Emefiele to bail and directing his remand in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS).
The court had previously granted Godwin Emefiele ₦50 million bail on July 25, following his arraignment on a 2-count charge of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. The charges centered around the alleged possession of a single barrel shot gun and 123 rounds of live ammunition without a license. Emefiele entered a plea of not guilty to the charges.
However, in a surprising turn of events, the Department of State Services rearrested Emefiele within the court premises shortly after he was granted bail, raising concerns about due process and the administration of justice.
In response to the development, Emefiele's counsel, Ogonnaya Sonuga, moved an ex-parte application on July 28, 2023, seeking an order from the court to serve the Complainant (DSS) through the office and person of the Director General, Yusuf Magaji Bichi.