"Human Rights Lawyer Falana Urges DSS to Respect Court Orders, With a Caveat on Emefiele's Past Actions"

In response to the re-arrest of Godwin Emefiele, the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, by the Department of State Services (DSS) in defiance of a court ruling, human rights lawyer Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) has voiced his concerns.

Earlier, the Federal High Court, after hearing arguments, ruled that the government failed to justify why Emefiele should not be granted bail. Consequently, the judge granted him bail in the sum of N20 million with one surety in like sum. However, the DSS refused to hand him over to prison officials, resulting in a confrontation.

Amidst these events, Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) and many others have expressed their reactions. Falana questioned the actions of the government, particularly in light of President Bola Tinubu's stated commitment to upholding the rule of law, yet officials were seen disregarding a court order.

Falana recalled Emefiele's history of disobedience to court orders, including one from the Supreme Court, concerning the validity of old Naira notes.

His full statement reads: "Despite the Bola Tinubu administration's public commitment to operate under the rule of law, a team of State Security Service officials blatantly disobeyed the orders of the Federal High Court this morning at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi. The court had granted Mr. Godwin Emefiele bail in relation to the charge of illegal possession of firearms."

"Officials of the Prisons were attacked by armed SSS officers for adhering to the orders of the Federal High Court. Given President Tinubu's stern warning against inter-agency physical attacks under his administration, the security officers involved in the Ikoyi Prisons incident should be identified and penalized."

"The federal government should also ensure prompt compliance with the orders of the Federal High Court. However, all public officers should learn from Mr. Emefiele's current predicament. As the former Central Bank of Nigeria governor, he displayed arrogance and impunity by disobeying several court orders, including those from the Supreme Court of Nigeria!"