The National Industrial Court sitting in Abuja has directed the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc to pay a total of N1.07 billion to the former Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Simon Achuba, in fulfilment of a longstanding judgment debt owed by the Kogi State Government.
In a ruling delivered on November 27, Justice R. B. Haastrup made absolute an earlier garnishee order nisi, effectively compelling UBA to release the funds following the bank’s failure to provide convincing evidence to halt the order.
UBA had argued that the money contained in the Kogi State Government account was sourced from World Bank-supported projects and, therefore, exempt from garnishee proceedings.
The bank also claimed that the funds were jointly owned by 19 northern states, making them inaccessible for the enforcement of any judgment against Kogi State alone.
However, Justice Haastrup dismissed the bank’s explanations, ruling that UBA failed to substantiate its claims with credible documents or legal justification.
The court held that since the bank could not prove that the funds were protected from attachment, the garnishee order must stand.
Justice Haastrup consequently ordered UBA to pay the judgment debt of N1.07bn to Achuba without further delay, marking a significant step in the former deputy governor’s legal battle to recover his entitlements from the Kogi State Government.
The ruling adds another chapter to the long-running dispute that began after Achuba left office and sought to enforce his financial benefits as a former deputy governor.
The court’s latest decision places a firm responsibility on the bank to comply fully with the judgment.
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