The Nigeria Police Force Headquarters and the Federal Capital Territory Police Command have denied knowledge of heavy police presence at the residence of the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.
Reacting to reports that policemen had surrounded the CBN governor’s house, Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi said, “I have no knowledge of such an event. However, kindly contact the FCT command.”
The FCT PPRO, Josephine Adeh, also denied knowledge of the incident when contacted.
Adeh said, “I don’t know anything about policemen surrounding the CBN governor’s home. You could contact the force headquarters.”
There had been reports that armed police officers, number over 20, had been sighted laying siege around 8:40pm, Tuesday night, at the Maitama, Abuja home of the embattled governor of the apex bank.
A security source stated that the presence of the policemen may be in connection with Emefiele’s expected appearance at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday (today) over a $53m judgment debt arising from the Paris Club refund.
The source said, “The police officers are not there to arrest, but to ensure that he doesn’t run away again as he did weeks ago.
It would be recalled that a Federal High Court in Abuja had summoned Emefiele over the $53m judgment debt arising from the Paris Club refund.
In an application for garnishee made on October 20, 2022, Justice Inyang Ekwo ordered the CBN governor to appear on Wednesday, January 18, 2023, as the hearing date for the matter.
Prior to this, on January 23, 2020, the court ruled that Emefiele must appear “to be examined on oath touching the means you have or have had, since the date of the said garnishee order absolute, to pay the balance of $53m now due and payable under the said garnishee order absolute and also show cause why you should not be committed to prison for default in payment of the said sum.”
The order followed an application by Joe Agi (SAN) against Linas International Limited, the Minister of Finance, and the CBN through his lawyers, Isaac Ekpa and Chinonso Obasi.
The applicants are seeking an order directing the Inspector-General of Police to arrest Emefiele and bring him to court, alongside his lawyers — Damian Dodo, Audu Anuga, all Senior Advocates of Nigeria, and Ginika Ezeoke, Jessica Iyoke, Abdullahi Afolayan and Olayemi Afolayan.
The suit stemmed from an alleged $70m judgment against Linas over the lawyer’s services in the Paris Club refund.
The CBN governor was said to have left an outstanding amount of $53m having only released $17m.
Commenting on the development, a lawyer, Deji Ajare, said the police could compel Emefiele to appear in court based on a court order.
“The police have the constitutional powers to arrest and bring a person to court. They can also enforce the order of the court compelling the appearance of a person or official in court,” he stated.
