Ooni of Ife visits Emefiele in Kuje prison, solicits his release

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, has added his voice to the growing chorus of influential Nigerians advocating for the release of Godwin Emefiele, the embattled former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Emefiele currently finds himself incarcerated for failing to meet the N300 million bail condition imposed on him.

Last month, Emefiele faced a six-count charge related to procurement fraud from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The allegations centered on the misuse of his position to confer undue advantages on Sa’adatu Yaro, a CBN staff, by awarding a contract for the procurement of 43 vehicles worth N1.2 billion between 2018 and 2020.

Emefiele entered a plea of not guilty to the charges and was subsequently granted bail set at N300 million. The bail conditions required two sureties, each with certificates of occupancy and titles of properties within the Maitama district in Abuja. Additionally, he was instructed to surrender all travel documents to the Court Registrar and warned to remain within the Abuja Municipal Council. Unfortunately, Emefiele was unable to meet these conditions, leading to his remand in the Kuje Correctional Facility until 2024.

Although reports confirm that the Ooni visited Kuje prison twice on Tuesday, December 5, apparently to meet with Emefiele. During these visits, the Ooni engaged in lengthy discussions with Emefiele, indicating a desire to mediate and find an amicable resolution between Emefiele and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The Ooni aims to prevent the prolonged and perceived dehumanization of the former CBN governor, which has sparked concerns among some Nigerians.

Numerous voices, including civil society groups, elder statesman Edwin Clark, and former Delta State governor James Ibori, have intervened on Emefiele’s behalf. They assert that his detention involves human rights violations, deeming it illegal and unjust. Prior to his arrest and EFCC arraignment, Emefiele had already spent over four months in the custody of the Department of State Security (DSS) before being rearrested by the EFCC after a brief period of freedom.