60 Lawyers Sue SSS For Refusing To Release Emefiele
No fewer than 60 legal practitioners on Monday, approached a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory to begin committal proceedings against the State Security Services (SSS).
The lawyers said the suit was hinged on what they described as a violation of multiple judgments and orders of the court directing the agency to release a former Central Bank Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele.
The lawyers led by Mr Maxwell Opara and Ahmed Tijani, prayed the court to commit the SSS to prison until it clears itself of the contempt.
The lawyers filed a motion before the court for the issuance of Form 48 and Form 49, which are the forms used to commence proceedings to commit a contemnor to prison.
The lawyers said that by the judgments and orders of Justice M. A. Hassan, Justice Hamza Muazu and Justice Bello Kawu, the SSS Director-General ought to have released Emefiele from detention.
In an affidavit in support of the application, the lawyers deposed to the fact Justice Hassan restrained the respondents, particularly, the SSS from arresting, detaining, or interrogating Emefiele.
This was with regards to offences connected to terrorism financing, money laundering, round tripping and financial crimes of national security dimension.
They also deposed that despite the clear and positive orders of the court, the DSS went ahead to arrest and detain Emefiele and had detained him for over a month while shopping for evidence, which did not exist.
