'It is an abuse of court process' - Court strikes out application to detain Emefiele.

Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja has dismissed a request by the Department of State Services, DSS, seeking a 14-day extended detention order for the suspended Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele.

Justice Muazu dismissed the application, citing it as an abuse of court process and identifying the lack of jurisdiction.

The DSS based its application on a new evidence it had discovered.

The application was filed by the DSS’s legal team on Wednesday and came before the vacation judge, Thursday.

When the matter came up on Thursday, the judge questioned the jurisdiction of the court under sections 293 and 296 of the Administrative of Criminal Justice Act.

According to the Act, it is the exclusive right of the Magistarte Court to grant detention orders.

Upon the question, the DSS’s counsel, Victor Ejelonu, opted to withdraw the matter.

The application came in the wake of Emefiele’s re-arrest by the DSS from the Federal High Court premises in Lagos, following his remand in a Correctional Centre while awaiting the fulfilment of his bail conditions granted by Justice Nicholas Oweibo.