Officials of the Department of State Services, DSS, and the Nigerian Correctional Services have clashed on the premises of the Federal High Court, Lagos, over an attempt by the DSS to re-arrest the sacked Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele.
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 had granted Emefiele bail in the sum of 20million naira with one surety in like sum.
The Court adjourned the case until November 14 for trial and ordered the remand of the Defendant in the correctional service, pending the perfection of his bail.
Meanwhile, after the case was adjourned, the defendant remained in the courtroom several hours, after the case ended.
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 former Governor of central bank.
Our Correspondent who witnessed the event, reports that Emefiele is still inside the courtroom at time of this report and the Prison Squadron Commander and his men have withdrawn from the Court’s vicinity.