Court  Grants Emefiele’s Request To Serve Bail Order On DSS

Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High in Lagos yesterday granted the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele leave to serve the Director General, Department of State Services, Mr. Yusuf Magaji Bichi, by substituted means, the order of court 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 had on July 25, 2023, granted Emefiele N50million bail and ordered that he should be remanded at the NCS after he was arraigned on a 2-count charge of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

The charges bordered on alleged possession of a single barrel shot gun, as well as possession of123 rounds of live ammunition without licences.

He, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

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

In an ex-parte application dated July 28, 2023, 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 25 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”.

Consequently 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 had on July 25 ordered that the Defendant 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 Department of State Services on the 25th of July 2023 it will be practically impossible to serve the DSS personally.