Court Grants Emefiele’s Request to Serve Bail Order on DSS

Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High sitting in Lagos on Monday granted the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, leave to serve the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Yusuf Magaji Bichi, by substituted means, the court order admitting him to bail and directing his remand in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service.

Justice Oweibo granted the order following an ex-parte application moved by Emefiele’s counsel, Mrs Ogonnaya Sonuga.

The court on July 25th granted Emefiele N50 million bail and ordered that he should be remanded at the NCS after he was arraigned on two counts of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. 

The charges bordered on alleged possession of a single barrel shotgun, as well as possession of 123 rounds of live ammunition without a licence.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge.

However, DSS rearrested Emefiele on the court premises shortly after he was granted bail.

In an ex-parte application dated July 28, Emefiele asked the court for “an order of this Honourable Court granting leave to the Defendant/Applicant to serve the Complainant through and on the office and person of the Director General Department of State Services Mr Yusuf Magaji Bichi with the Ruling/Order of Court obtained on the 25th day of July, 2023 admitting the defendant/Applicant to bail and directing his remand in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service by substituted means to wit: by publishing same in Three (3) National Daily Newspapers Circulating within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court and which said service will be deemed as good and proper service on the Prosecutor/Complainant herein”- Daily Trust Newspaper. – Punch Newspaper. -Thisday Newspaper. 

“And for such orders and further orders as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstances of this case”.

Subsequently, Justice Oweibo granted the prayers.

In a 15-paragraph affidavit in support of the application deposed to by Adeogun Ayodele Samuel from the law firm of Victor Opara, SAN, he stated that the court on July 25 ordered that the Defendant should be remanded at Nigeria Correctional Service pending the perfection of the Defendant’s bail. 

The deponent stated that despite the order granting bail to the Defendant on the 25th of July, 2023, the Department of State Services (DSS) re-arrested and whisked the Defendant/Applicant away from the premises of this Honourable Court. 

He stated further that by the actions exhibited by the DSS on July 25, 2023, it will be practically impossible to serve the DSS personally.