The judge had granted Emefiele bail last week and the ex-CBN chief expected to be in court on Wednesday to take his plea.
The ongoing nationwide strike action embarked upon by Nigerian Labour Congress(NLC) and its affiliates has stalled the planned arraignment of the former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele at the Federal Capital Territory High court.
Emefiele could not appear in court on Wednesday because the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) at the Federal Capital Territory High Court branch had directed its members to comply with NLC strike action over an assault on NLC President Joe Ajaero in Imo State on November 1, 2023.
Emefiele was granted bail by Justice Olukayode Adeniyi last week. The judge had ordered that he should be released immediately to his lawyers, who are in charge of bringing him to court for his arraignment today (Wednesday) or any other day.
Emefiele’s travails started when President Bola Tinubu suspended him as the apex bank chief on June 9, 2023. A day after, the Department of State Services (DSS) confirmed that the embattled and suspended CBN chief was in its custody.
After several legal fireworks by Emefiele’s counsel challenging his prolonged detention by the DSS, the secret police bowed to pressure on July 13, 2023 and announced that the suspended apex bank chief had been charged to court.
Emefiele was brought to a Lagos court by DSS operatives in a hilux vehicle on Tuesday, July 25, 2023.
Appearing before Justice Oweibo, Emefiele, 61, pleaded “not guilty” to the two counts of illegal possession of firearm and ammunition filed against him by the Federal Government.
Later in August, the DSS withdrew its charges against Emefiele. The secret police freed the embattled ex-bank chief on October 26 just as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) detained him the same day.
The EFCC had failed to produce Emefiele in court last week Monday but the anti-graft agency bowed to the order of the court and produced the former CBN chief court judge last week Wednesday for the hearing of his bail application.
The judge had granted Emefiele bail last week and the ex-CBN chief expected to be in court on Wednesday to take his plea.