The suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, is likely to face charges for illegal possession of guns and live ammunition, Channels Television reported last night.
The embattled CBN Governor had been charged to court on Thursday by the Department of State Services (DSS) in compliance with a Federal High Court order that compelled them to charge him to court or release him within seven days.
Although the secret police did not disclose the reasons for charging the suspended CBN governor to court, we understand that Emefiele, according to Channels TV, will face a two-count charge of possessing one single-barrel shotgun (JO JEFF MAGNUM 8371) without a license.
The said offense contravenes Section 4 of the Firearms Cap F28 Laws of the Federation 2004 and is punishable under Section 27 (1) (b) (i) of the same act.
He is also accused of having in his possession 123 rounds of live ammunition (catridges) without a license.
The offenses were allegedly committed at No. 3B Iru Close, Ikoyi, Lagos, “on or about June 15, 2023.”
The service had previously sought to arraign Emefiele for offenses bordering on terrorism.
In February, it said a preliminary investigation revealed various acts of terrorism financing, fraudulent activities perpetrated by Emefiele, and his involvement in economic crimes of national security dimension.
MUK TV reliably gathered yesterday that Emefiele could be formally charged at the Federal High Court in Lagos next week.
Multiple sources also confirmed that the DSS filed the charge yesterday, and it now awaits the assignment of the case to a judge for a hearing.
Emefiele was suspended by President Bola Tinubu on June 9, 2023, and was subsequently arrested by the DSS the following day.