Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected the request by the Ecobank Nigeria Limited to stop the federal government from recovering N800 million Amnesty fund from the commercial bank.
The bank is among some commercial banks in the country accused of overpaying beneficiaries of the Amnesty Programme to the tune of over N13 billion by the National Security Adviser, NSA, Babagana Monguno.
The bank had approached the court for a restraining order to stop the Federal Government’s efforts to recover the funds.
The court turned down the request.
In the motion, dated April 6, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/469/2023, the bank prayed the court to issue an order of interim injunction restraining the respondents or cohorts from arresting its directors, staff or agents or taking steps to disrupt its business without following due process of law pending the hearing and determination of originating motion.
According to the affidavit in support of the motion deposed to by Oladipupo Raji, Head, Ecobank Regional Operations in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, the bank said it has never been accused of fraud in the funds paid to beneficiaries of the Amnesty Programme.
He explained that on January 19, Ecobank and other bank were summoned by the NSA to discuss the amnesty programme.
Raji said, “That the NSA at the meeting which I attended informed the banks’ representatives that some of the beneficiaries of the amnesty scheme have been receiving double payments from the federal government of Nigeria by opening multiple accounts in several banks and that the 3rd respondent has also been paying funds to unknown individuals.
“That the NSA, thereafter, sought for the support of the banks in tackling the challenges in sanitising the system and ensuring the leakages are blocked.”
Raji said the bank was surprised when Aliyu Mohammed, the permanent secretary, special services office, office of the secretary to the government of the federation, informed all the banks that the federal government had purportedly lost the sum of N13 billion through the leakages, directing Ecobank to refund N849 million within two weeks.
He said the bank was not involved in the processing of payments, approval of payments or verification of the list of the beneficiaries of the scheme.
Iin a ruling on Wednesday, Justice Ekwo turned down the bank’s prayer, instead he directed the bank to put the NSA and other respondents on notice within seven days of the order.
The case has now been adjourned to May 31.
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