Court summons Emefiele over non-payment of $70m judgment debt

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday ordered the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, to appear in court on January 18, 2023, for refusing to obey a valid court order.

The judge issued the order following confirmation that Emefiele had yet to obey the order of the court to pay the judgment debt of $70 million to a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Joe Agi.

The money is for the payment of legal services rendered to some states and the 774 Local government areas in the country.

Agi had obtained the judgment against the CBN governor following his refusal to carry out the order of the court on the judgment debt.

However, the CBN governor through his counsel, Mr. Damian Dodo (SAN), applied that the judgment should be set aside on the grounds that an appeal had been filed by the apex court against the judgment.

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Mr. Joseph Njikonye (SAN), counsel to Agi, objected to Emefiele’s motion on the grounds that the order for the payment had not been effected.

Njikonye argued that Emefiele was in contempt of court and must be made to purge himself before the court could give him an audience.

In a brief ruling, Justice Ekwo agreed that Emefiele must appear in court to explain why he refused to obey the order.

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