Justice Olukayode Adeniyi of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court on Monday awarded N100 million in damages to against the Federal Government for violating the rights of former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele.
Emefiele had in a rights enforcement suit sought a declaration by the court that his detention by the Department of State Service (DSS) without trial and subsequent transfer to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was unlawful.
The former CBN governor was arrested by DSS on June 10, 2023, shortly after his suspension by President Bola Tinubu.
The federal government, Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), and EFCC were listed as respondents in the suit.
He said the respondents’ refusal to comply with several valid court orders for his release was a grave violation of his fundamental rights to life and personal liberty as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
He, therefore, among others sought an injunction restraining the respondents from further arresting and or further detaining him upon his release by the court without proffering a criminal charge against him.
He also sought damages of N1 billion in his favour for the violation of his fundamental rights.