Justice Inyang Ekwo, the presiding judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, has issued a court order requiring Godwin Emefiele, the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), to appear before the court by January 25, 2024. The order is meant to compel Emefiele to provide an explanation for the $53 million debt resulting from the Paris Club refund.
In a brief ruling on Tuesday, Justice Ekwo granted Emefiele another opportunity to appear before the court, either in person or through an arrest warrant, following a plea by Emefiele and CBN’s counsel, Audu Anuga (SAN). Anuga informed the court that despite their efforts, Emefiele was still in detention and could not appear in person.
The court subsequently issued an affidavit on October 30, requiring Emefiele to show cause why an arrest warrant should not be issued against him. When Justice Ekwo asked Mr. Joe Agi (SAN)’s lawyer, I.A. Nnana, if he had been served with the affidavit, Nnana confirmed they had been served on Monday, almost at the close of work, and they would like to react.
Justice Ekwo warned Anuga against late filing of processes, reminding him that the matter came up on July 19. Anuga explained that all efforts were made until Friday, October 27, to ensure Emefiele’s release on the court’s order, but the order was not complied with, necessitating the filing of the affidavit.
Anuga informed the court that parties had been exploring settlement before, and with the CBN having a new governor, they should be allowed to explore settlement options.
However, Justice Ekwo insisted that Emefiele must appear in court on the next adjourned day, emphasizing that “contempt proceedings follow a person whether the person is still there or not.”
The presiding judge reiterated the need for Emefiele to appear, stating that court orders must be complied with, even if no one complies with the order of the court. The matter was adjourned until January 25, 2024, to give Emefiele sufficient time to show cause why an arrest warrant should not be issued against him.