PREMIUM TIMES NG
The Nigerian government has charged the suspended governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, with illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
The case consisting of two counts of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition was filed against Mr Emefiele at the Federal High Court in Abuja, Channels Television reports.
A copy of the charges shared on the television’s website showed the case was filed on Thursday (13 July), the same day a judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja gave the State Security Service (SSS) one-week ultimatum to either charge him in court or release him.
The SSS had held Mr Emefiele, who was arrested on 10 June, for over a month without charge until Thursday’s ruling.
In the newly filed case, the agency accused Mr Emefiele of possessing a single-barrel shotgun (JOJEFF MAGNUM 8371) without a licence; an offence said to be contrary to Section 4 of the Firearms Act, and punishable under Section 27 (1b) of the same Act.
In the second count, the SSS charged him with illegally possessing 23 rounds of live ammunition (cartridges) without a licence. The offence is also said to be contrary to Section 8 of the Firearms and punishable under Section 27 (1)(b)(il) of the same Act.
The case has not been assigned to a judge.
Illegal possession of firearms vs terrorism financing
The charge is a downgrade of much weightier allegations of terrorism financing and economic sabotage the SSS earlier levelled against the suspended CBN governor.
In a desperate move to obtain an order for his arrest, the SSS had stated on oath in December 2022 that Mr Emefiele was sponsoring the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
In a slew of weighty allegations, the SSS accused him of sabotaging President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, financing terrorism, aiding and abetting terrorism, and committing other economic crimes to undermine Nigeria’s national security.
The agency also accused Mr Emefiele of mismanaging the CBN subsidiary, NISRAL, and the central bank’s Anchor Borrowers Programme.
The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, John Tsoho, who heard the SSS’ application for an arrest order against Mr Emefiele, had dismissed the request on the grounds of improper procedure.
The agency took no further action until after Mr Emefiele was suspended on 9 June by the new President, Bola Tinubu.
The SSS filed the lighter charges after over one month of holding Mr Emefiele in custody. But it is unclear if the agency plans to file additional charges against him.
