In a recent development, the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has dismissed two fundamental rights enforcement suits filed by George Emefiele and Okanta Emefiele, the siblings of the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele. The suits were brought against the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and the Department of State Services (DSS), with the aim of securing an order to enforce their fundamental rights, particularly their freedom of movement.
The applicants separately approached the court, seeking various reliefs including a perpetual injunction that would prevent the DSS from inviting, intimidating, harassing, arresting, or detaining them in relation to matters unrelated to the constitutional and statutory mandates of the DSS.
The DSS and AGF were joined as respondents in the two separate cases.
During the hearing on Wednesday, the applicants’ counsel, Grace Ehusani, informed the court that her clients had filed a notice of discontinuance. However, she did not provide any reasons for the application.
The counsel for the DSS, Ibrahim Awo, did not oppose the application but requested that the case be dismissed instead of being struck out as requested by the applicants’ counsel. Additionally, he asked the court for a substantial cost of N2 million to be awarded against the applicants in favor of the respondents.
Maimuma Lami-Sheru, counsel for the AGF, aligned herself with the submission of the DSS counsel and also requested a cost of N2 million.
In a bench ruling, Justice Emmanuel Okpe, who was presiding as a vacation judge, dismissed the cases and ordered that no costs be paid by the applicants.
