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The Department of State Services’ conduct in the Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday during the court appearance of the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, has been condemned.

Despite the fact that the court granted him bail and ordered that he be remanded at the Nigerian Correctional Services’ Ikoyi facility, the DSS rearrested and snatched him away on Tuesday.

The situation resulted in an altercation between DSS agents and jail officials.

Emefiele was charged with illegal guns possession on two counts before Justice Nicholas Oweibo.

He was transported to court in a white Hilux van, escorted by heavily armed DSS agents.

Emefiele, who was dressed in a white jalamia and appeared emaciated when she arrived at the court on Tuesday morning, was promptly taken inside the courtroom.

Emefiele, however, pled not guilty when the allegations were read to him.

Joseph Daudu (SAN), representing the defense, filed an application for Emefiele’s bail with the help of four other senior lawyers.

Mrs Nkiru Jones-Nebo, counsel for the DSS, objected to the bail, claiming she had not been provided with a copy of the application.

However, in a judgement, Justice Oweibo granted Emefiele bail in the sum of N20 million with one surety in the same amount.

The judge, however, ordered that he be remanded in the Nigeria Correctional Services’ Ikoyi prison facility awaiting the completion of the bail terms.

Following that, the judge delayed the trial until November 14.

However, after the court hearings, DSS operatives laid siege outside the courtroom in an attempt to re-arrest Emefiele.

The scenario, which resulted in a clash between DSS agents and men from the Nigerian Correctional Services, kept Emefiele in the courtroom long after the proceedings had ended.

During the following battle for control, the prison commander’s uniform was ruffled and torn as he was pulled towards the DSS vehicle by DSS operatives who converged on him.

The scenario infuriated Emefiele’s family and lawyers, who accused the DSS of acting illegally and disrespectfully toward the court.

A man who introduced himself as Emefiele’s brother and gave his name as George regarded the event as sad in a democratic era.

“Three courts have said release him on bail, he’s not running away for God’s sake. He has served this nation for nine years, where is he going to go to? All his life is in Nigeria here.

“You can imagine a situation where two military federal government apparatus are fighting themselves, manhandling the commander of the prison commission, it is a disgrace to this nation, it is a complete disgrace,” George said.

Condemning the development in an interview with The PUNCH, human rights lawyer, Ebun Olu-Adegoruwa (SAN), said, “I believe that the President is aware of the actions of the DSS; it is giving a bad image to this administration, where security agencies are engaging in a physical scuffle in open court to the extent of tearing their uniforms, which is a symbol of authority of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and desecrating the hallowed chambers of the court without respect for the judge.

“The videos I saw today was a total contempt of the authority of the judiciary because what we are saying is that once anybody is within the premises of the court, you have to respect the authority.”

Ghana’s Minister of Sanitation, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, tendered her resignation over the weekend following an investigation into an alleged theft of more than $1 million in cash from her residence last year.

The case has drawn criticism from Ghana’s opposition, who questioned why a minister would keep such a large sum of money at home.

Dapaah denied any involvement in the alleged crimes, but the incident raised concerns about her position as a government official. In her resignation statement on Saturday, Dapaah stated that she did not want the matter to become a distraction for the government’s work.

The two domestic workers accused of stealing the cash, along with 300,000 euros and millions of local Ghanaian cedis, are currently facing trial.

The case has stirred public attention and debate, with court documents detailing the alleged theft from the minister’s bedroom, including clothing.

While Dapaah clarified that the reported figures do not accurately reflect what was reported to the police, she acknowledged the significance of the incident given her position in the government.

Her resignation comes at a challenging time for President Nana Akufo-Addo’s administration, as Ghana grapples with its worst economic crisis in years, leading the country to seek a $3 billion loan from the IMF.

President Akufo-Addo accepted Dapaah’s resignation and commended her for her loyalty and dedication.

However, opposition leader John Dramani Mahama, who is running as the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate for the 2024 election, criticized the incident as “scandalous” and questioned the rationale behind keeping such large amounts of hard currency at home.

Baffour Agyeman-Duah, a good governance advocate, called on the ombudsman to investigate the case further.

The involvement of a high-ranking public official has sparked public interest, and there is a growing demand for transparency and accountability in the matter.