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Court orders DSS to allow Emefiele access to family, lawyers
By Vivian Okejeme
AFederal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, sitting in Maitama, has ordered the Director General of the Department of State Security Service (DSS) to immediately grant unhindered access to the lawyers and family members of the detained suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele to see him.
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Justice Hamza Muazu gave the order following an oral application by counsel to Emefiele, Joseph Daudu (SAN) with
Michael Aondoakaa (SAN) in suit marked No: FCT/HC/CV/6450/23.
The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF); the Director General of State Security Service and the State Security Service are mentioned as Respondents.
The order dated June 16, 2023, reads: “The lawyers of the applicant shall have access to the applicant immediately. And regularly at reasonable time, pending the determination of the application.”
In his submission, Daudu informed the court that he has written letters to the respondents particularly on June 14, 2023, for the purpose of taking further instruction from him, but the DSS has refused to respond to the application.
Responding, counsel to the 2nd and 3rd Respondents I. Awo, informed the court that the DSS does not have the penchant for refusing such a request and that it is wrong to do so.
Awo assured that he is certain the Security Service would abide the order of Court and grant access to the listed lawyers and family members of Mr. Emefiele to see him, while counsel to the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation did not oppose the application.
Meanwhile, counsel to the DSS as well as the AGF request for extension of time to file their respective responses to the originating motion, which was granted and the suit was further adjourned till Tuesday June 20, 2023 for hearing of the substantive suit.
Recall that Godwin Emefiele, taken into custody by DSS hours after President Bola Tinubu suspended him from office.
The spokesperson to DSS, Peter Afunanya in a statement confirmed that Mr. Godwin Emefiele is in its custody for some investigative reasons.
