The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja has ruled that the extended detention of former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele, without trial, constitutes a blatant violation of his fundamental rights, as reported by Punch. The court imposed a N100 million fine on the Federal Government and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), while also prohibiting them from re-arresting or detaining Emefiele without a court order.
Emefiele secured the judgment in response to a lawsuit filed against the Federal Government, alleging human rights violations during his extended detention in the custody of the Department of State Services. In his suit, he sought N1 billion in damages and requested a court order to prevent further arrests or detentions.
The former CBN governor was arrested on June 10, 2023, shortly after his suspension by President Bola Tinubu. Defendants in the suit included the Federal Government, the Attorney General of the Federation, the EFCC, and its chairman.