Okwuta Audu Jos
A Plateau State Hight Court sitting in Jos the state capital has ordered a seizure of a property belonging to the Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN).
The writ attachment (seizure) was due to a suit between John Eche Okpe, Esq and the CBN, and it was ordered by Honourable Justice N.D. Shaseet, and seizure notice was made available to newsmen yesterday in Jos the Plateau State capital.
According to the seizure notice signed by the registrar, the property seized is an Innoson IVM Double Cabin vehicle with the regisrtation number KUJ696DD and chasis number LTA12H2P4P9103551.
John Eche Okpe Esq. who is a Legal Practitioner in Jos, had In the said case with the number PLD/J397/m/2023, obtained judgment against the Federal Government of Nigeria and some of its agencies and sought to as well as enforced the judgment via garnishee proceedings against the CBN.
The garnishee order nisi is to the tune of N10 million as made absolute by His Lordship, Honourable Justice N.D. Shaseet of the Plateau State High Court of Justice on the 1st November, 2023.
But since the making of the order absolute, the Central Bank of Nigeria has refused to comply with the order, thereby necessitating the property seizure.
Though the total amount to which the writ has been issued is now N12,206,900, including the legal fees and expenses, and the property will be sold at the end of five days, begin from 22 December, 2023.
“Take notice, that a writ has been issued for the attachment and sale of property in execution of the judgement/order obtained against you in this section/matter and the amount for which it has been issued is stated.
“And take notice that your property is hereby attached and you are prohibited from selling the same or any right title, or interest therein. If you pay to the bailiff the total amount to the levied, as stated, within an hour after the service of this notice, you will incur no further fees or expenses.
“Thereafter, you may be liable to pay to the Sheriff a fee of twenty kobo dally for keeping possession of the property, and also the responsible expenses, if any of feeding animals, until the amount to levied, together with the amount of such fees and expenses is paid or the property is sold.
“If at any time before the sale of the property you pay to the Registrar or Bailiff (a) the amount to levied and (b) the fee and expenses, if any, incurred after attachment, this execution will be sold and any amount that remains unpaid, together with costs of sale will be deducted from the proceeds and the balance, if any, will he paid to you.
“Your property will not be sold until after day end of five days next following the day on which they were/it was attached,” the notice partly read.
It would be recalled that the judge also last week issued a warrant of arrest against the state Controller of the Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN), Mr. Jonah Akama over disobedience to court order in the same suit.
The arrest warrant issued to newsmen in Jos and signed by Honourable Justice N.D. Shaseet read that any police officer who come across Makama should arrest him.
The said arrest warrant followed Akama’s failure to appear before the court over the case with John Eche Okpe, Esq.
Counsel to CBN, A. A. Adewole refused to react or comment on the issue when contacted.
Kwararafa Reporters 