N19.3bn bailout: EFCC Publication Of Alleged Recovery, Defamatory – Kogi Gov’t

A Kogi State High Court sitting in Lokoja on Friday, adjourned till January 27, 2022, the hearing of the application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission challenging the interim injunction order of the court restraining it from taking any further action in respect to the N19.3billion Kogi bailout funds recovered from a hidden account in Sterling Bank.

The EFCC had on November 19, 2021 announced the recovery following the return of the funds to the Central Bank of Nigeria by Sterling Bank.

However, the Kogi State Government, Accountant General of the State, Momoh Jibrin and Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Makadam Agiri dragged the Commission to court alleging that the publication of the recovery on the Commission’s Facebook page is defamatory and demanded a retraction and payment of N35billion damages.

The court presided over by justice J.J Mjebi also granted applicants’ request for, among others, “An interim injunction restraining the 1st Defendant/Respondent, its allies, agents, representatives, associates or whoever is acting for them or through them from doing anything either by inviting officials of the 1st Claimant or requesting for any document with respect to the issue involving Account No 0073572696 or any other account purportedly belonging to the 1st Claimant/Applicant domiciled with Sterling Bank Plc or any other bank registered and operating in Nigeria or otherwise relating to or pertaining to the affairs of the first claimant whatsoever, or its employees, appointees or associates pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for Interlocutory Injunction.”

The court had fixed December 17, for hearing of the motion on notice.

However, at the resumed sitting on Friday, the EFCC counsel led by J.S Okutepa, SAN, moved a motion asking the court to set aside its interim injunction restraining the Commission from doing anything in respect of account number 0073572696 or any account belonging to the 1st applicant.

Justice Mjebi subsequently adjourned until January 27, 2022 for hearing of the motion.

PUNCH