Court Throws Out Suit Seeking Emefiele’s Removal

BEVERLY HILLS, May 03, (THEWILL) – The Federal High Court, Abuja, has thrown out a civil proceeding seeking the prosecution of Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, based on a notice of discontinuance filed by the plaintiffs.

Listed with the CBN governor as defendants to the suit, seeking 10 items, were President Muhammadu Buhari, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Senate.

Justice John Tsoho struck out the suit against Emefiele which sought his prosecution over alleged unlawful disbursement of funds to the immediate past National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

The plaintiffs – Achilike Anderson, Uchenna Nnadi, Ohazuruike Tochukwu, Fatima Musa, Olamide Buba, Hassan Haruna, Elochukwu Nweke, Amina Abubakar, Eroni Ada and Joy Moses who said they are lawyers did not reveal the motive behind the decision to withdraw the suit.

The suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/218/16, sought among other things, an order directing the EFCC to arrest and prosecute the CBN governor for offences of money laundering, unlawful, illegal and fraudulent direct cash payment to the Office of the National Security Adviser through a letter dated November 26, 2014 referenced: NSA/366/S.

The plaintiff wanted an order to the second defendant (the President) to write to the Senate, pursuant to the provision of Section 11 (2) (c) and (f) of the CBN (Establishment) Act Cap C4 LFN 2004, to demand the removal of Emefiele.

They also prayed the court to order the EFCC to carry out an investigation into the unlawful, illegal, and fraudulent act of the first defendant in making direct cash payment to the office of the NSA.

Story by David Oputah