Operatives of Department of State Services, DSS, have arrested a top official of Ikoyi Prisons and whisked away the suspended Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Governor, Godwin Emefiele from the premises of Federal High Court, Lagos.
The arrest of the prisons official followed a tussle between the prison authority and the DSS over the custody of the suspended CBN Governor.
The prison official who was rough-handled and shuffled into the DSS vehicle was later released by the secret service operatives.
Credible News reports that a mild drama played out at the Federal High Court, Lagos State, between DSS operatives who are fully hooded and officials of Nigeria Correctional Service, NCS, as they tussled over who keeps custody of the embattled CBN boss as the defendant’s lawyers were trying to perfect his bail conditions.
Emefiele was arraigned by the Federal Ministry of Justice for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition but was granted bail in the sum of N20m with one surety, following him pleading “not guilty”.
Vehicles from both agencies were stationed near the court’s entrance, marking their presence.
However, NCS officials, who were in court to convey Emefiele to their custody had to leave without taking him as DSS operatives whisked away the defendant from the court premises.
The NCS officials left after the intervention of a senior female DSS official who arrived at the court and had a brief discussion with prison officials who later vacated the court.