The federal government and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have been fined a whopping sum of N100 million by Justice Olukayode Adeniyi of a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), for unlawful detention of former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.
Justice Adeniyi who issued the order on Monday further barred the federal government and any of its agencies, notwithstanding Emefiele’s current trial, from re-arresting, detaining and harassing Emefiele over any alleged offence without first obtaining a warrant of arrest from a court of competent jurisdiction.
The judge issued the order after he declared the long detention of Emefiele for over five months by the Department of State Service (DSS) and EFCC as illegal, unlawful and unconstitutional.
According to the judge, the excuse by the federal government that Emefiele was being investigated for other alleged infractions was not tenable, adding that the order of detention obtained from a Chief Magistrate Court in Wuse, Abuja lacked probative value.
He further berated security agencies for first arresting and detaining suspects before investigation.