A consortium of constitutional and human right lawyers have commence committal proceedings against Director General of the State Security Service (DSS), Mr. Yusuf Magaji Bichi, at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory(FCT), for allegedly violating multiple judgments and orders of court directing the release of suspended Central Bank governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele from custody.
Led by Mr. Maxwell Opara and Ahmed Tijani, the applicants have prayed the Court to commit Mr. Bichi to prison until he purges himself of the contempt.
Specifically, the form 48 which was brought under order IX, rule 13, Sherriff and Civil process Act, CAP S6, LFN 2004, read: “Take notice that unless you obey the directives as contained in the order of the court delivered on the 13th day of July 2023, you will be guilty of contempt of court and will be liable to be committed to prison.”
In their Motion filed before the Court for the issuing of form 48 and form 49 which are the forms to commence proceedings to commit a contemnor to prison, the lawyers assert that by the judgments and orders of Justice M. A. Hassan, Justice Hamza Muazu and Justice Bello Kawu, the DG DSS ought to have released Mr. Emefiele from detention.
In the affidavit in support of the application, the consortium deposed to the fact that Justice M. A. Hassan restrained the Respondents in that suit particularly the State Security Service (SSS) from arresting, detaining or interrogating Mr. Emefiele for offences connected to terrorism financing, money laundering, round-tripping, financial crimes of national security dimension etc.
It is their deposition that despite the clear and positive orders of Justice Hassan, the SSS still went ahead to arrest and detain Mr. Emefiele and has so detained him for well over a month while shopping for evidence which does not exist.
While addressing newsmen after filing their processes at the Registry of the Court, Mr. Maxwell Opara said the group would pursue the matter to its logical conclusion and ensure that Mr. Bichi is sent to prison to serve as a deterrent to other heads of security agencies and top government officials that contempt of court and gross abuse of their offices for personal vendetta will no longer be tolerated.
