EFCC Grabs Emefiele After DSS Release, Begins Fresh Interrogation

Godwin Emefiele, former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), regained his freedom last night and was immediately picked up by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)

He is being interrogated and there are indications that fresh charges will be filed against him.

VerseNews reports that Emefiele had been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since June after President Bola Tinubu handed him a suspension.

After his suspension, he was asked to transfer his responsibilities to Folashodun Adebisi Shonubi, then the deputy governor, operations directorate at the apex bank.

The day after, the DSS announced that Emefiele was in its custody for “some investigative reasons.”

On July 25, he was arraigned on a two-count charge bordering on “illegal possession” of firearms at the federal high court in Lagos, and was granted bail in the sum of N20 million.

However, a fresh 20-count charge was instituted against him over an alleged conspiracy to carry out procurement fraud, among others.

The arraignment has been stalled twice and Emefiele was proposing a plea bargain agreement.

The agreement required Emefiele to resign as CBN governor and “disgorge”” some assets.

On September 22, the CBN officially confirmed Emefiele’s resignation, after Olatemi Cardoso was appointed as substantive governor of the apex bank.

Emefiele was on his way to regaining his freedom on Thursday.