Godwin Emefiele

An application has been filed by Godwin Emefiele, the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, to stop the Federal Government from further prosecuting him on the charge of illegal firearm possession and ammunition.

Emefiele, through his lawyers led by Joseph Daudu (SAN), filed the application to Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court in Lagos, who granted him bail.

Emefiele’s application was filed on Tuesday, Aug 8, and has been served on the federal government on Wednesday, August 9.

He is also seeking an order of the court discharging him of all offenses prosecuted by the Government who is in “brazen disobedience” of the subsisting orders of the court granting him bail on July 25, 2023.

Emefiele also asked for a further order prohibiting the FG from continuing to enjoy any form of indulgence from the courts except and unless it complies with the bail ruling.

He asked the court to stay further proceedings in the present charge until he exhausts all the remedies available to him in law to compel the government and the DSS to obey the order of the court admitting him to bail or remanding him in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Centre until he perfects his bail terms.

The applicant also says that the processes seeks to preserve and protect the efficacy, majesty and integrity of the court as well as the rule of law in our democracy.

Recall that the federal Government, last week, filed an application before the court seeking leave to appeal against the order granting bail to the suspended CBN governor.

In the application filed by a deputy director of public prosecutions of the Federation, Nkiru Jones-Nebo, the government also asked the court to stay the execution of the order remanding Emefiele in the custody of the Nigeria Correctional Services and to make an order remanding him instead in the custody of the DSS.

Justice Oweibo has fixed Thursday, August 10, to hear the application.