A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja has issued an order to freeze the accounts of the Oyo State Government in 10 commercial banks in the country.
Justice Anitte Ebong issued the order in response to a garnishee proceeding initiated by former council chiefs in Oyo State, who were dismissed on May 29, 2019, by Governor Seyi Makinde.
In 2021, they obtained a N4.9 billion judgment against Makinde and other state officials. The garnishee proceeding aims to recover the outstanding balance of N3.5 billion from the judgment sum, of which Makinde paid only N1.5 billion in 2022.
The affected banks include Zenith Bank, United Bank of Africa (UBA), Wema Bank, First Bank of Nigeria, Ecobank, Guaranty Trust Bank, Access Bank, Polaris Bank, Jaiz Bank, and Union Bank.
Justice Ebong ordered the banks to file affidavits and attend the court on the next adjourned date to show cause why the garnishee orders nisi should not be made absolute.
The judge awarded N300,000.00 as costs against the judgment debtors and scheduled the next hearing for January 5 next year.
On May 7, 2021, when the Supreme Court gave judgement, voiding Makinde’s sack of elected Local Government Chairmen and Councillors in Oyo State, the apex court gave a similar judgement in respect of Katsina State and ordered both states to pay the salaries and allowances of the effected ex-council chiefs.
The judgment required both Oyo and Katsina states to pay the salaries and allowances of the affected ex-council chiefs.
Justice Ejembi Eko, who delivered the lead judgment in the Oyo State case, condemned the decision by Makinde to unlawfully sack the elected council chiefs before the end of their tenure.
While Katsina State complied, Oyo State, under Makinde, has not paid its unlawfully sacked ex-council chiefs despite the Supreme Court’s decision.
Ada Peter
