The recurring inter-agency rivalry played up again as there was pandemonium at the premises of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday, following an attempt by the Department of State Security Service to rearrest former governor of Central Bank, Godwin Emefiele.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Emefiele was charged by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation under the Ministry of Justice.
He is standing trial before Justice Nicholas Oweibo, on a two-count charge of illegal possession of firearms
He had pleaded not guilty to charge and was granted bail in the sum of N20 million with one surety in like sum.
The court had adjourned the case until Nov. 14 for trial and had ordered a remand of the defendant in the correctional service pending perfection of his bail.
Meanwhile, after the case was adjourned, the defendant remained in the courtroom several hours after the case ended.
It was gathered by newsmen who equally waited all the time in court’s premises, that the defendant may likely be re-arrested by the DSS.
The environment of the court was filled with armed men of the DSS, who were seen waiting with guns at the entrance to the courtroom where the defendant was arraigned.
Meanwhile, when a top official of the Nigerian Correctional centre made attempt to take the defendant into custody of the correctional service as ordered by the court, officials of the DSS resisted the move.
Official of the DSS were seen pushing him off and ordering all journalists to move out of the viccinity while brandishing their guns.
All visitors to the court were seen running for safety.
However, the DSS prevailed in re-arresting Emefiele after the initial scuffle with the officials of the Nigerian Correctional Service who had attempted to takeover custody of Emefiele as directed by the presiding Judge.
After a faceoff between men of the DSS and NCoS, the defendant was eventually intercepted by the DSS when he stepped out of the court room and taken away in a police vehicle at about 3:15 pm.
It was not clear why the former CBN governor was taken away by the DSS.
-NAN
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