BREAKING: FG Drops Firearm possession charge against Emefiele, files new charges

he federal government of Nigeria has presented an oral application to the federal high court in Ikoyi, seeking to withdraw the charge of illegal possession of firearms.

Emefiele was brought before a federal high court in Ikoyi on July 25, facing a two-count charge related to the “illegal possession” of firearms.

In an oral application, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mohammed Abubakar, conveyed to Justice Nicholas Oweibo that the application was based on the outcome of further investigations.

However, Emefiele’s legal representative, Joseph Daudu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, contested the application, asserting that the government must rectify its breach of the court’s order granting Emefiele bail before the application could be considered.

Justice Oweibo has postponed the ruling on the application until Thursday, August 17, 2023.

Following the day’s proceedings, the DPP engaged with journalists in an interview, disclosing that a fresh set of 20 charges has been submitted to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court against the suspended CBN governor.

One of the counts, he clarified, accuses Emefiele of “conferring unlawful advantages”.

Recall that President Tinubu suspended Mr. Godwin Emefiele as Governor of Nigeria’s apex bank on the 9th of July and appointed Mr. Folashodun Shonubi as the bank’s acting Governor.

Governor Emefiele was subsequently arrested by the DSS and was charged on two counts bothering including terrorism and illegal possession of firearms.