FG Arraigns Emefiele over Possession of Pump Action Rifle July 25

Alex Enumah in Abuja 

The Federal Government will Tuesday, July 25, 2023 arraign the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, over a controversial charge of possession of a pump action rifle.

The arraignment before the Lagos division of the Federal High Court is on a two-count charge bordering on alleged unlawful possession of a pump action rifle and 123 rounds of live cartridges.

The arraignment, which will be coming up before Justice Nicholas Oweibo, has attracted so much condemnation from members of the public and civil society organizations following the filing of charges of possession of a pump action rifle after several months of accusation and six weeks of detention.

Emefiele was arrested on June 10, shortly after President Bola Tinubu suspended him to pave the way for investigation over alleged offences bordering on economic and security sabotage.

The charge of illegal possession of firearms however is not part of his alleged offences leading to his suspension and arrest.

Justice M.A. Hassan of the FCT High Court, Abuja, had restrained the Department of State Services (DSS) from arresting Emefiele but it still went ahead to arrest him and claimed it had fresh information in support of the allegations of terrorism against Emefiele only to charge him with possession of a pump action rifle.