A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court has set aside ten hearing dates over the coming months in a concerted bid to bring the long-running trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele to a close.
Justice Maryanne Anenih of the FCT High Court in Maitama announced the timetable on Wednesday after legal teams representing both the prosecution and defence reached consensus on the dates. The scheduled sittings — spanning from early February through June — reflect an effort to expedite proceedings that have stretched on since 2024.
The first two hearings will take place on 3 and 10 February, with further sessions slated for 1 and 2 April, 11–14 May, and concluding on 9 and 10 June. Justice Anenih urged all parties to observe the dates faithfully, assuring that the court registry will facilitate the necessary arrangements to avoid further delays.
Complex Evidence and Contentious Testimony
The trial centres on a series of corruption and abuse-of-office charges brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), linked to Emefiele’s role in the controversial 2022 naira redesign policy. The anti-graft agency alleges that the former CBN governor acted outside statutory approvals in executing the policy, which ultimately sparked widespread cash scarcity and public discontent.
During Wednesday’s proceedings, an EFCC witness, Emere Chinedu, acknowledged that the Presidency under former President Muhammadu Buhari did send a letter to the anti-graft agency indicating that local printing of the redesigned notes should be pursued — a point of contention in the case. However, Chinedu disputed a defence assertion that the former EFCC chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, first proposed the naira redesign to the Presidency, noting that the commission’s remit is advisory rather than directive.
Analysts say such granular disputes over procedural history and documentary evidence underscore why the trial has been protracted. Both sides have introduced complex threads of testimony, including extra-judicial statements by the defendant and detailed scrutiny of approval processes within the CBN hierarchy.
Wider Significance for Public Trust and Institutional Accountability
For many Nigerians, the trial of Emefiele has become emblematic of broader questions about governance, institutional checks and balances, and accountability in the management of public office. The naira redesign itself remains controversial, with critics contending that it exacerbated economic hardship without clear procedural justification.
The court’s move to firm up a structured timeline is aimed at curbing the risk of further adjournments that have dogged high-profile cases in Nigeria’s judicial system. If the schedule holds, the final chapter of this case may help clarify not only the legal responsibilities of senior public officials but also the institutional frameworks governing major fiscal policy decisions.
Justice Anenih’s calendar may yet be tested by fresh applications or evidential challenges, but for now, the court has signalled its intention to bring one of Nigeria’s most closely watched economic crime trials to a definitive phase in the first half of 2026.
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