Justice O. Adeniji, presiding at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja, issued an order on Thursday for the prompt and unconditional release of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The judge’s decision came in response to a motion ex parte presented by Emefiele’s legal team.
The suit, identified as FCT/HC/CV/040/2023/M/122/2023, listed the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Attorney General of the Federation, the EFCC, and its chairman, Ola Olukoyede, as defendants.
In his ruling, Justice Adeniji stated, “The third and fourth respondents are hereby ordered to unconditionally release the applicant from detention forthwith, or alternatively, produce him in court on the scheduled date for the hearing of the substantive motion on notice for bail.”
He further ordered, “The motion on notice shall be heard on November 11, 2023. This order, in conjunction with the Motion on Notice, shall be served on the respondents by Thursday, November 2, 2023.”
Emefiele had been arrested by the EFCC on October 27 immediately after his release from the custody of the Department of State Services, where he had been detained since June 10. His detention began shortly after President Bola Tinubu ordered his suspension.
