A federal court in Abuja on Wednesday threatened to order the arrest of the detained former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, for failing to appear in person and respond to a case against him.
Mr Emefiele was suspended by President Bola Tinubu last month and arrested shortly after by the State Security Service. He has remained in detention since.
A separate but long running case against him came up on Wednesday at the court in Abuja and the judge, Inyang Ekwo, said Mr Emefiele had failed to appear multiple times and threatened his arrest. The case was first brought in 2017.
“I have given you enough opportunity but you are taking it for granted,” the judge said, directing the lawyer, Audu Anuga, to give a good reason why the court should not issue a warrant of arrest against Mr Emefiele.
– The case
The News Agency of Nigeria says the case concerns a $53 million judgement debt connected to the Paris Club Refund.
The judge had on October 20, 2022, ordered the then CBN governor to appear in on January 18 over his alleged refusal to obey the court’s order to pay a judgment debt to Joe Agi, a lawyer.
Mr Agi had sued Me Emefiele and the finance minister. The January 18 sitting did not hold, prompting the court to adjourn to March 20 and again to June 6.
That day, the judge emanded Mr Emefiele’s appearance in person on the next adjourned date, July 19.
Mr Emefiele was removed three days after that order, and subsequently arrested on June 10 by the SSS.
– Case resumes
On Wednesday – July 19 – Mr Agi’s lawyer, Ayodele Arotiowa, was about to make a submission when the judge asked Mr Emefiele’s lawyer if his client had complied with the previous order.
“We made effort to see how we can communicate with the 4th respondent (Emefiele) but the 3rd respondent (CBN) was unable to communicate with 4th respondent,” the lawyer replied.
“We rely only on public communication that the 4th respondent is incarcerated and have been unable to communicate with him.”
He suggested if the CBN could respond but the judge said Mr Emefiele was sued in his personal capacity.
“But the public information now is that he has been suspended. And opportunity has to be given to him to comply,” the lawyer said.
“The last opportunity my lord gave to the 4th respondent has not been communicated to him. I feel opportunity should be given so that this can be communicated,” Mr Anuga pleaded.
The judge adjourned the matter to October 31.
“Upon listening to counsel, I am minded to exercise restraint in this proceeding to give 4th respondent an opportunity to explain himself to me on next adjourned date,” he said.
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