Court Orders Seizure Of CBN Property Over Judgment Debt

The seizure of a vehicle belonging to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) hes been ordered by a Plateau State High Court sitting in Jos, the state capital.

The court ordered he property to be seized over a suit between John Eche Okpe, a legal practitioner, and the apex bank.

The writ attachment ordered by Justice N.D. Shaseet was signed by the registrar, and the property seized is an Innoson IVM Double Cabin vehicle with the registration number KUJ696DD.

The seizure notice was made available to journalists in Jos on Saturday.

In the case, with number PLD/J397/m/2023, Okpe had obtained judgment against the Federal Government and some of its agencies and sought to enforce the judgment via garnishee proceedings against the CBN. The garnishee order nisi is to the tune of N10m as made absolute by the judge on November 1, 2023.

The notice indicated that since giving the order, the Central Bank of Nigeria had refused to comply, necessitating the property seizure.

The notice noted further that the total amount to which the writ was issued was now N12,206,900, including the legal fees and expenses, adding that the property would be sold after five days, beginning from December 22, 2023.

The notice read, “Take notice, that a writ has been issued for the attachment and sale of property in execution of the judgement/order obtained against you in this section/matter and the amount for which it has been issued is stated.

“And take notice that your property is hereby attached and you are prohibited from selling the same or any right title, or interest therein. If you pay to the bailiff the total amount as stated within an hour after the service of this notice, you will incur no further fees or expenses.

“If at any time before the sale of the property you pay to the Registrar or Bailiff (a) the amount levied and (b) the fee and expenses, if any, incurred after attachment, this execution will be sold and any amount that remains unpaid, together with costs of sale, will be deducted from the proceeds and the balance, if any, will be paid to you.

“Your property will not be sold until after end of five days following the day they were/it was attached.”

The judge had issued a warrant of arrest against the state Controller of the CBN, Mr Jonah Akama, over disobedience to court order in the same suit.

The arrest warrant issued to newsmen in Jos and signed by Justice N.D. Shaseet read that any police officer who comes across Akama should arrest him. It noted that the arrest warrant followed Akama’s failure to appear before the court over the case with Okpe.

When contacted for his reaction, Counsel for the CBN, A. A. Adewole, refused to comment on the issue.