Officials of the Department of State Security, DSS, and Correctional Services have clashed on the premises of the Federal High Court, Lagos over an attempt by the DSS to re-arrest the suspended governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.
Mr. Emefiele was charged by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation under the Ministry of Justice on a two-count charge of illegal possession of firearms.
After pleading not guilty to the charge, Justice Nicholas Oweibo granted Mr. Emefiele bail for twenty million nairas with one surety in like sum.
The court adjourned the case until Nov. 14 for trial and ordered a remand of the defendant in the correctional service pending perfection of his bail.
Meanwhile, after the case was adjourned, the defendant remained in the courtroom several hours after the case ended.
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The court environment was filled with armed men of the DSS, who were seen waiting at the entrance to the courtroom where the defendant was arraigned.
Meanwhile, when a top official of the Nigerian Correctional Service attempted to take the defendant into custody as ordered by the court, officials of the DSS resisted the move.
Officials of the DSS, brandishing their guns, pushed the senior official of the correctional service and prevented him from taking custody of the suspended central bank governor.
Our Judiciary Correspondent, Wahab Akinlade who has been keeping tabs on the event, reports that Mr Emefiele is still inside the courtroom and the Prison Squadron Commander and his men have withdrawn from the court’s vicinity.
Subsequently, the DSS Officials takes custody of Emefiele and drove him away in a white Hilux truck.
