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N784.3m Debt: Court orders unfreezing Of Benue  accounts

A Federal High Court in Abuja,  on Tuesday, ordered  the unfreezing of all accounts belonging to  the Benue  Government except  one domiciled in Zenith bank.

Justice Inyang Ekwo gave the order after adoption of Memorandum of Undertaking (MOU) by lawyers representing parties in the suit.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that while the Assets Management Corporation of  Nigeria is the claimant/applicant in the case,  HPPS Multilinks Services  Ltd and Benue  Government are 1st and 2nd respondents.The MoU dated Jan. 25  and filed on Jan. 26 was adopted on  Feb. 1.

Leading other counsel, Mr T.D Pepe (SAN) adopted the MoU on behalf of Benue government whileMr Val Igboanusi  adopted on behalf of the plaintiff.

Mr A. T Kehinde (SAN) adopted  for Fidelity Bank Plc, and Mr C. O. Nwosisi, was  for GTBank Plc and counsel for the other banks also adopted on behalf of their clients.

Justice Ekwo subsequently  ordered that Zenith bank with account No. 1013470079 designated as Benue  Government Ecological Account remained frozen in the sum of the disputed debt vide interim order of the court  pending the determination of the case.

He, however, ordered the unfreezing of all Benue  government accounts with Access Bank Plc, Citibank Nigeria Ltd, Ecobank Nigeria Ltd, Fidelity Bank Plc, First City Monument Bank Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc and  Heritage Bank Pic.

Other banks were the court ordered that Benue government accounts be unfrozen are  Keystone Bank Ltd, Polaris Bank Ltd, Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, Standard Chartered Bank Ltd, Suntrust Bank Nigeria Ltd, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, UBA Plc, Unity Bank Nigeria Plc and Wema Bank Plc.

The judge adjourned the matter until March 2 for a report on the order.

“Pursuant to discussions and agreement by the parties, all other accounts of the Benue  government frozen by this court vide interim order of Oct. 26, 2021 are to be unfrozen while Account No. 1013470079 with Zenith Bank Plc, designated Benue Government Ecological Account shall remain frozen in the sum of the disputed debt, pending the determination or resolution of the dispute.”

NAN recalls that Justice Ekwo had upon an ex parte application dated and filed on Sept. 30 2021, made an interim order freezing and attaching the accounts of both HPPS Multilinks Services  Ltd and Benue  government who were  1st and 2nd respondents domiciled in the mentioned banks.

(NAN)

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