By Abidemi Samuel
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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured a significant victory in its pursuit of justice against former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele.
An Ikeja Special Offences Court has dismissed Emefiele’s application challenging its jurisdiction to hear the $4.5 billion and ₦2.8 billion fraud case brought against him by the EFCC.
Emefiele faces a 26-count charge, alleging abuse of office and economic crimes, while his co-defendant, Henry Omoile, is charged with related offenses, including unlawful acceptance of gifts. The court’s ruling, delivered by Justice Rahman Oshodi, held that it had
jurisdiction over counts eight to 26, citing relevant legal authorities and evidence presented in the case file. However, the court struck out counts one to four, which centered on abuse of office through the allocation of foreign exchange without bidding.
According to Justice Oshodi, such actions are not punishable under Nigerian law. The court dismissed Emefiele’s application challenging its jurisdiction to hear the case. The trial has been adjourned to February 24, 2025, for continuation.The EFCC’s counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), argued that the court had jurisdiction, emphasizing that the economic and financial nature of the
alleged offenses made Lagos the appropriate venue for the trial. With the dismissal of Emefiele’s jurisdictional plea, the court has set the stage for the trial to proceed on the remaining charges.
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