Constituonal lawyers, Ohanaeze Youths and other Nigerians on Thursday hailed the judgment of the High Court sitting in Abuja, which ordered the Department of State Services (DSS) to immediately release the suspended Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, from detention.
They described the judgement as victory for democracy and also urged the Federal government to show respect and comply with the rule of law by letting Emefiele out of detention.
The presiding judge, Justice Hamza Muazu, had given the order of his release after hearing the arguments of all parties in the matter.
The DSS had last month said the suspended CBN Governor was in their custody. The statement came hours after they initially denied that Emefiele was “currently” not in their custody.
Emefiele, through his counsel, challenged his detention by the Department of State Services (DSS) and the denial of access to members of his family and counsel.
The counsel among others sought an order setting aside, quashing, invalidating and nullifying the arrest, detention of the Applicant (Mr. Godwin Emefiele) for being illegal and a nullity, in view of the subsisting Orders and Judgment of the Court in Suit No: FCT/HCAGAR/CV/41/2022 delivered by the Honourable Justice M. A. Hassan on 29th December, 2022.
He also sought an ORDER setting aside, voiding, quashing, invalidating and nullifying any warrant of arrest of warrant of detention or any other order for the detention of the Applicant, obtained as procured by the Respondents (particularly the State Security Service), for the arrest, detention and/or interrogation of the Applicant (Mr. Godwin Emefiele) in connection with the allegations of terrorism financing, fraudulent practices, money laundering, round tripping, threat to national security etc from any other Court, during the subsistence of the orders.
Justice Hamza Muazu in his ruling on Thursday in Abuja observed that detention no matter how short is a breach of fundamental rights but it must be determined whether detention is legal or illegal.
He noted that the applicant is entitled to fair hearing and continued detention cannot be justified in the absence of a charge and the offenses alleged are bailable.
While ruling that the applicant be released on bail, the Judge gave the respondent one week to charge applicant to court or release him.
Reacting to the court ruling, some constitutional lawyers have hailed the judgement describing it as victory for democracy and human right.
The lawyers in statement by its leader Barr.Obe Agu, urged the federal government to show respect for the rule of law by complying with the court ruling.
Similarly, socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Youths has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to show that he’s a true democrat by directing the DSS to release Emefiele.
The socio-cultural Group, in a statement by its Cordinator for Judicial affairs, Nze Uzo Kalu said if DSS disobeys this court order and continues to illegally detain Emefiele then its clear the DSS wants to dent Tinubu’s Rule of Law record.
The group recalled that President Tinubu in his inaugural address promised to govern according to the Nigerian constitution and the rule of law.
The group noted that Tinubu specifically promised that respect for the constitution and the rule of law will underpin his economic programmes.
Warning against denting the President’s record, the group urged DSS to immediately comply with court order and release Emefiele, adding that the President should be let their son come home.
Meanwhile, there’s massive celebration in Emefiele’s home town as news of Abuja court for his release hit Delta State.
One of the indigenes, Ogidi Emmanuel J, who reacted to the court ruling, described it as a welcome development, saying that the illegal detention of the suspended CBN Governor without proof of the crime he committed is unfair and against the rule of law.
He lamented that the DSS operatives are becoming more brazen and tyrannical in their behaviours, adding that Emefieles crime was initiating several good policies that have been beneficial to Nigerians.
