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Justice A.O. Adeniyi of the High Court at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to unconditionally release the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele from detention.
The judge ordered that the EFCC can in the alternative produce him to the court. The order followed a motion ex parte filed on October 31, with an accompanying affidavit by Dr. Okanta Emefiele, praying the court for an order directing immediate and unconditional release of the embattled former CBN chief.
The motion marked M/122/2023 has Emefiele as the plaintiff, while Federal Republic of Nigeria, Attorney General of the Federation, EFCC Chairman and the EFCC are the first to fourth respondents in that order.
“Upon listening to A Labi-Lawal, Esq. (with Olawale Fapohunda, Esq.; Dr. S. M. Oyeghe; I. B. Ahmad, Esq.) of learned counsel for the plaintiff moving in terms of the motion paper, accordingly, the third and fourth respondents are hereby ordered to unconditionally release the applicant from detention forthwith; or in the alternative produce him in court on the date fixed for hearing of the substantive motion on notice for purposes of being admitted to bail by the court.
“Accordingly, it is hereby further ordered that the motion on notice shall be heard on Monday, November 6, by 1pm prompt. The instant order, together with the motion on notice shall be served on the respondents today, November 2,” the judge ordered.
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