Paris Club refund: Court summons Emefiele over $53m debt, fixes March 20 for hearing

A federal high court in Abuja has summoned Godwin Emefiele, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) over a $53 million judgement debt arising from the Pars Club refunds.

 

Inyang Ekwo, presiding judge, gave the order on October 20, 2022, following an application for garnishee made by Joe Agi, a senior advocate of Nigeria who is the judgment creditor.

 

The court granted the application and ordered Emefiele to appear in court on Wednesday, January 18.

 

However, at the court session on Wednesday, the case was adjourned to March 20.

 

No reason was given for the adjournment.

 

BACKGROUND

The dispute stemmed from an alleged $70 million judgment against Linas International Ltd for the lawyer’s (Joe Agi) assistance with the Paris Club refund.

 

Emefiele was said to have only released $17 million, leaving an unpaid balance of $53 million.

 

The court had on January 23, 2020, ruled that Emefiele must appear “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 $53 million 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”.

 

In October 2022, Agi through his counsel Isaac Ekpa and Chinonso Obasi, filed another application against Linas International, minister of finance and the CBN, seeking “an order directing the inspector-general of police to arrest Emefiele and bring him to court alongside his lawyers: Damian Dodo, Audu Anuga, all Senior Advocates of Nigeria, and Ginika Ezeoke, Jessica Iyoke, Abdullahi Afolayan, and Olayemi Afolayan”.