Court Prevents Oyo State Government From Using Four Banks Because Of A N3.4 Billion Debt.
A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja has issued an order attaching monies held in four banks to the credit of the Oyo State Government and its agencies.
The decision was made by Judge A. O. Ebong in response to a motion ex-parte for garnishee order nisi brought by the former council members and chairmen under the leadership of Bashorun Majeed, Bosun Ajuwon, and Idris Okusesi.
The impacted banks, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), include First Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA), Wema Bank, and Zenith Bank.
In order to prevent the order nisi from being absolute, Judge Ebong asked the banks to provide justification.
A certified true copy (CTC) of the judge’s decision on the motion, with the filing number FCT/HC/BW/M/238/2023, was observed on Sunday in Abuja.
According to court documents, the money would be used to pay off the remaining sum of N3,374,889,425.60 from a judgment debt owing by a few former local government chairmen and councillors who were fired by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde on May 29 before the end of their terms.
The garnishee action was started on behalf of the chairmen and councillors by their attorney, Musibau Adetunbi, SAN, and is being carried out in accordance with a ruling they obtained on May 7, 2021, against the governor and six other people.
In accordance with the Supreme Court’s award and the judgment debtors’ admission in Exhibit 11 attached to the applicant’s application, a garnishee order nisi is now given to attach the judgment debtors’ accounts with garnishees Nos. 1 to 4 in the move ex-parte.
The first through fourth garnishees must submit affidavits and appear in court on the next postponed date to demonstrate why the order nisi should not be deemed absolute.
The judgment debtors must get notice of this order nisi in accordance with the law. The 4/4/2023 has been set aside for the continuation of this subject.
According to information obtained, the judgment creditors have subsequently served copies of the order on the judgment debtors in accordance with the court’s directive.
The state’s Attorney General, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Accountant General, Speaker of the House of Assembly, and Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission are all listed as judgment debtors with the Oyo State Governor (OYSIEC).
