An FCT High Court sitting in Abuja has issued a garnishee order for the freezing of 10 commercial bank accounts operated by the Oyo State Government over N3.5 billion debt.
The order, issued by Justice Anitte Ebong, was initiated by former council chiefs in Oyo State who were sacked by Governor Seyi Makinde.
The former council of chiefs then got a N4.9 billion judgement against the governor and other officials and agencies of the state.
The garnishee proceeding is intended by the ex-council chiefs, led by Bashorun Majeed Ajuwon, to recover the balance of N3.5 billion which is outstanding from the actual judgement sum, from which Makinde paid only N1.5bn in 2022.
The banks in which the Oyo State Government’s accounts are blocked are Zenith Bank, United Bank of Africa (UBA), Wema Bank, First Bank of Nigeria, Ecobank, Guaranty Trust Bank, Access Bank, Polaris Bank, Jaiz Bank and Union Bank.
Justice Ebong ordered the banks to file affidavits and attend the court on the next adjourned date to show cause why the garnishee orders nisi hereby granted should not be made absolute.
The judge awarded N300,000.00 as a cost against the judgement debtors and ordered that a copy of the order be served on Makinde and others and adjourned till January 5 next year for hearing.
