The Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed July 25 for the arraignment of the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, over alleged unlawful possession of firearms.
The date was fixed by Justice Nicholas Oweibo after controversy in the delay by the State Security Service (SSS) to bring the charges in line with various orders of courts.
The SSS had on July 13 filed a two-count charge against Emefiele over illegal possession of arms.
In the charges filed before the court, the SSS accused Emefiele of being found in possession of one single-barrel shotgun (JOJEFF Magnum 8371) without licence.
He was also alleged to be in possession of 123 rounds of live ammunition (cartridges) without a licence.
Both charges are said to be in contravention of sections 4 and 8 of the Firearms Act Cap F28 Laws of the Federation, 2004, punishable under section 27 (1)(b)(i) of the Act.
In protesting over the non-compliance with the orders of high courts in Abuja, some group of lawyers on July 17 filed a contempt proceeding before a Federal High Court in Abuja to commit the director-general of the SSS, Yusuf Bichi to jail on allegations of contempt of court.
The lawyers, led by Maxwell Opara and Ahmed Tijani on Monday accused Bichi of disobeying different orders of M. A. Hassan, Hamza Muazu and Bello Kawu were disobeyed by the service despite the orders being served on them.
