Brave Dickson
A federal high court in Port Harcourt has ordered a commercial bus owner, Mr M Anamdi to pay the sum of 200, 000 naira to the court for abandoning his case against the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Striking out the suit, the judge, presiding Justice Oshomah ruled that until the commercial bus owner pays the said sum to the court, the suit will not continue.
Mr Amadi whose commercial bus was smashed beyond repair by CBN bullion van in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State dragged CBN and its driver, Mr A Okpara before the court after efforts to settle out of court failed.
Counsel to CBN, Barr. N. Oyeacholam told the court that processes were duly served on the claimant and his lawyer as ordered by the court, adding that the claimant has absconded from the matter.
“We came fully prepared this morning to continue the matter but both the claimant and his lawyer are not in court. This is not the first time they have deliberately refused to continue their matter in court. It was upon their obvious lack of interest in the continuation of the suit that the court struck out the suit,” CBN lawyer said.
Meanwhile, the State Chairman, Association of Drivers Welfare of Nigeria, Mr Leekia Isaac has warned members to desist from parking wrongly on major roads.
This he said is not only to avert incidents of commercial vehicles being smashed by bullion vans but to also minimize what he described as undue advantages by security agents to extort money from commercial drivers.
Mr Isaac said commercial bus and taxi drivers often lose over 35, 000 naira each month just to settle security agents especially the police on grounds of wrong parking.
He said, “we want to partner with the media and civil society organizations to sensitize our members to stop settling security agents over wrong parking and to also avoid wrong parking as well.”
The chairman further urged the State Commissioner of Police, Zaki Ahmed to call his officers and men who are collecting illegal money from commercial drivers to order.
