By our correspondent
There was mild drama at the venue of the House of Representatives Public Petition Committee hearing on the petition brought against the EFCC, DSS and the Correctional Center by the Justice Center over the alleged failed attempt by EFCC officials to abduct former CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele from the custody of the Correctional Center, Kuje, Abuja after the Court granted him bail.
When the petition was called up, the Correctional Center denied the allegation and aligned with EFCC to deny the failed abduction which was alleged to have taken place at the Kuje prison where the petitioners produced picture evidence of the EFCC operatives who laid siege at the prison.
The hearing nearly deteriorated into a shouting match when the petitioners’ lawyers insisted on proving their case, but the EFCC and Prison officials’ presence kept on denying and insisting there was no such incident.
The Chairman of the panel, Hon. Mike Eteba who asked the Correctional Center to state the truth repeatedly of what transpired was told by the Correctional Center that no such thing happened while the EFCC said they have no plan to abduct Godwin Emefiele and can’t talk on the matter as the incident never happened.
The panel Chairman and the Committee ruled that since EFCC and the Correctional Centers have denied it, the Committee directed lawyers to the former CBN Governor to proceed to the court and file contempt charges if the EFCC makes any further move or if they feel strongly that the order of the court have been violated.
The lawyer to the petitioners while addressing the media insists that the alleged attempt to forcefully abduct Mr. Emefiele from lawful custody did take place, and the organisation will take out contempt proceeding against executive rascality of EFCC and DSS should there be a repeat of illegality of 22nd November 2023.
The representative of CESJET, Mr. Ahmed Tijani slammed the EFCC and DSS over their penchant for disobedience to court order, adding that the agencies had failed to respect several orders of the court granting Emefiele bail.
“We are not here to challenge the matter in court but to report the alleged attempt to forcefully remove Emefiele by EFCC from the Correctional Centre”, he stated.
