The Federal High Court Abuja, on Tuesday, ordered the unfreezing of all accounts belonging to the Benue Government except one domiciled in Zenith Bank.
Justice Inyang Ekwo gave the order after the adoption of the Memorandum of Undertaking by lawyers representing parties in the suit.
Reports have it that while the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria is the claimant/applicant in the case, HPPS Multilinks Services Ltd and Benue Government are 1st and 2nd respondents.
The MoU dated January 25 and filed on January 26 was adopted on February 1.
Leading other counsel, Mr T.D Pepe (SAN) adopted the MoU on behalf of the Benue Government while
Mr Val Igboanusi adopted on behalf of the plaintiff.
Mr A. T Kehinde (SAN) adopted for Fidelity Bank Plc, and Mr C. O. Nwosisi, was for GTBank Plc and counsel for the other banks also adopted on behalf of their clients.
Justice Ekwo subsequently ordered that Zenith Bank with account No. 1013470079 designated as Benue Government Ecological Account remained frozen in the sum of the disputed debt vide interim order of the court pending the determination of the case.
He, however, ordered the unfreezing of all Benue government accounts with Access Bank Plc, Citibank Nigeria Ltd, Ecobank Nigeria Ltd, Fidelity Bank Plc, First City Monument Bank Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc and Heritage Bank Pic.
Other banks were the court ordered that Benue government accounts be unfrozen are Keystone Bank Ltd, Polaris Bank Ltd, Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, Standard Chartered Bank Ltd, Suntrust Bank Nigeria Ltd, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, UBA Plc, Unity Bank Nigeria Plc and Wema Bank Plc.
The judge adjourned the matter until March 2 for a report on the order.
