A Federal High Court, presided over by Justice H. Oshiomah in Port Harcourt has rejected an exparte motion filed by an ex-Niger Delta militant, Solomon Ndigbara, seeking to compel the Nigerian Inter Banks Settlement System to disclose the account status of the Rivers State Government with the Zenith bank.
The court held that it was legally improper for a sensitive motion of such nature to be granted without giving a fair hearing to the parties involved and ordered the applicant to put the state government and Zenith Bank on notice.
The applicant, Ndigbara has approached the court following an alleged refusal by Zenith Bank to pay him the sum of 50 million Naira from the state government account with the bank.
Ndigbara through his lawyer, Yorkina Wisdom said a federal high court in a judgment had ordered the state government to pay him 50 million naira compensation for violating his fundamental human rights during the immediate past administration but the bank had refused to pay him.
The applicant’s counsel said: “It was unbelievable for Zenith Bank to say there is no money in the account of the state government with it. That is why we are praying the court to compel the Nigerian Inter Banks Settlement System to disclose the status of the state government account with the Zenith Bank.
“The federal allocation account of the state government is with Zenith Bank and the bank receives monthly allocation from the Federal Government. It shows that the bank wants to use all gimmicks to deny my client the 50 million naira compensation.”
The court, therefore, adjourned the suit till September 11, 2018, for the hearing of the motion on notice.
