News
$53M Debt: Court Threatens To Jail CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele
Justice I. E. Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja has summoned the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Godwin Emefiele, over a judgment debt of $53m.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Joe Agi, had initiated a garnishee proceeding against the CBN for the purpose of recovering a judgment debt of $70m from Linas International Limited and the Minister of Finance.
The SAN had last year July obtained a garnishee order absolute against the CBN in order to recover the $70m judgment debt from Linas International Limited and the Minister of Finance.
According to a court document, Form 15 (Judgment Summons), sighted on Monday, following the garnishee order absolute, the CBN had paid Agi part of the $70m, leaving a balance of $53m.
The summons said Emefiele must on January 23, 2020 appear before Justice Ekwo at Courtroom 5, Federal High Court in Abuja, to give reasons why he should not be sent to prison, following the failure of the CBN to release the balance of $53m to Agi.
According to the summons, Emefiele must appear before the judge “to be examined on oath touching the means you have or have had, since the date of the said garnishee order absolute, to pay the balance of $53m now due and payable under the said garnishee order absolute and also show cause why you should not be committed to prison for default in payment of the said sum.”
Meanwhile, following an ex parte application, Justice Ekwo ordered Agi to serve the summons on Emefiele through substituted means by “publishing the summons in any of the following newspapers, viz: The PUNCH, Daily Trust or The Nation.”
“The newspaper publication ordered shall be made within 21 days of this order.
“Case adjourned till 23rd January, 2020, for mention,” the judge said.
Former lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, has described the planned increase in electricity and telecom tariffs as unconscionable.
The statement comes after the telecoms regulator last week approved the increase in mobile tariffs.
The federal government also recently said that plans were ongoing to increase electricity tariffs “over the next few months.”
However, Sani, who said the government’s plan is unreasonable, insisted that it should be halted.
The ex-lawmaker also expressed his support for the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over the scheduled protest against the government’s proposal, calling it a welcome development.
“The planned increase in electricity tariffs in the midst of poor power supply and the proposal to increase telecom tariffs is unconscionable and should be halted. The scheduled labour union protest is a welcome development,” he posted on X.
The United States President, Donald Trump, has revealed his decision to cut off all future funding to South Africa, citing poor treatment of “certain classes of people.”
Trump made this known on Sunday in a post on Truth Social, his social media platform.
According to Trump, South Africa was seizing land and mistreating some citizens without concern for the violations of their rights.
“South Africa is confiscating land and treating certain classes of people VERY BADLY.
“I will be cutting off all future funding to South Africa until a full investigation of this situation has been completed!” Trump wrote.
Reports suggest that the American leader may be defending White South Africans, some of whom have alleged that the South African policy is unfair to them.
There are indications that the federal government will on Monday meet with the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, to stop the planned Tuesday nationwide protest against the 50 percent telecommunications tariff hike.
A reliable source familiar with the matter, who preferred anonymity, disclosed this on Monday morning, noting that the meeting between the NLC leadership and the federal government is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Monday.
The source said the meeting was a “dialogue on matters of national interest as it affects Nigerian workers.”
According to the source, it will be an inter-ministerial meeting with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), purposely to resolve issues raised by the NLC concerning the federal government’s approved upward adjustment to telecommunications tariffs, which the NLC, its allies, and others are vehemently opposing.
This comes as the NLC is already mobilizing workers for a mass protest tomorrow (February 4) against the 50 percent tariff hike approval.
On Thursday last week, in a letter to affiliate unions and state councils, NLC General Secretary Emma Ugboaja urged them to mobilize other Nigerians to send a serious message to the government.
The planned protest follows the 50 percent telecom tariff approval by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on January 20, 2025.
The approval had sparked widespread rejection among telecom subscribers.
2025 Grammy: Your achievement is historic – Sanwo-Olu congratulates Tems
Peter Obi congratulates Tems on Grammy win
Electricity, telecom tariffs increase unconscionable, should be stopped – Shehu Sani
Know The Airlines, Departure And Arrival Terminals In Lagos Airports By Ayodeji Awokunmi
Know the Airlines, departure, and arrival terminals in Lagos Domestic Airports
Dissecting Caritas CEO’S ‘Public Relations Thoughts And Deeds’ By Stanley Olisa
-
Business1 week agoSA billionaire Johann Rupert maintains Africa’s richest man record, Dangote New position revealed
-
News1 week agoUvisuals Studios and Ark and Rainbow Development Foundation screens short film – LOTUS
-
Entertainment1 week ago‘Eezee Concept vowed to destroy my career’ – Mercy Chinwo
-
News1 week ago15 feared dead in Enugu fuel tanker explosion
-
Politics1 week agoInsubordination: Gov Okpebholo suspends FEWMA boss, Ahmed Musa Momoh indefinitely
-
News1 week agoFour arrested in Anambra for burning 74-yr-old woman to death
-
News6 days ago2027: I’m not against coalition – Peter Obi
-
News5 days agoLAGOS BEGINS 3-DAY FREE HIV TESTING AND COUNSELLING SERVICES IN 19 RIVERINE COMMUNITIES