Court sets new appearance date for Emefiele in $53m judgement debt case

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has adjourned the summon of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, over the $53 million judgment debt to March 20.

The judge had on Tuesday ordered Emefiele to appear in court on Wednesday for the hearing of the case filed by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Joe Agi.

Agi filed the suit on behalf of his client, J. O. Njikonye, who had received $17 million out of the $70 million judgment debt.

The CBN was ordered to pay Njikonye the sum but the claimant said the apex bank has failed to pay the balance of $53 million after making the first payment of $17 million.

The postponement came a few days after Emefiele returned to Nigeria after a long break from work.

The CBN announced on Monday that its governor has resumed work to dispel reports that the financial regulator chief has been arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS).

The DSS spokesman, Peter Afunanya, also issued a statement to refute the claim.

Read also:Emefiele, Ahmed stall Senate’s probe into CBN’s N23.7trn loan, lawmakers give ultimatum

He said: “The attention of the Department of State Services has been drawn to the false news making the rounds that its operatives invaded the Central Bank of Nigeria and arrested its governor, today, January 16, 2023. This is fake news and quite misleading.”

However, there were reports on Wednesday that 10 police operatives surrounded Emefiele’s home in Abuja to ensure he appeared in court for the judgement debt case.

However, the CBN Director of Communication, Osita Nwanisobi, told Ripples Nigeria that he was not aware of the development.

The spokesperson for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command, Josephine Adeh, and the Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, made the same assertion.

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