A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, presided over by Justice Eneojo Eneche, has restrained President Mohammadu Buhari, the Central Bank of Nigeria, its Governor and 27 commercial banks from suspending, stopping, extending or interfering with the currency redesign terminal date of February 10th or issue any directive contrary to the February 10 date.
Justice Eneche gave the order after hearing a motion ex Parte filed on February 6, brought pursuant to Order 7; Order 26 Rule 6; Order 48 Rule 4; Order 42 Rule 8, Order 43 Rules 1 and 3 of the Federal Capital Territory High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2018 as well as Section 6(6) (a) and (b) of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended).
Before making the order, the court said it also considered the 37 paragraphs affidavit deposed to by one Emmanuel Okereke.
Subsequently, the court made an order granting an interim mandatory injunction mandating the Defendents, whether by themselves, stoff, agents, officers, interfocing banks or financial Institution or whosoever described to comply with, implement and give effect to the currency tedesign and restructuring of the old N200, N500 and 1000 bank notes on or before the last date of 10th of February, 2023, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
“An interim mandatory injunction made restraining the Defendants whether by themselves, staff agents, officers, interfacing banks or whosoever not to suspend, stop, extend, vary or interfere with the extant termination date of use of the old N200, N500, and N1000 bank notes being 10th day of February, 2023 pending the hearing and determination of motion on motice.
Justice Eneche also directes the Heads, Chief Executive Officers, Managing Directors and/or alter egos of the 4th to 30th Defendants to FORTHWITH show cause as to why they shall not be arrested and prosecuted for the
Economic and Financial sabotage of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by their illegal act of hoarding, withholding, nor paying or disbursing the new N200, N500 and 1000 bank notes, being the legal tender of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to thelr respective customers, despite supplies of each such currency note by the 2nd and 3rd Defendonts.
The ex parte motion was filed by the ACTION ALLIANCE (AA); ACTION PEOPLES PARTY (APP); ALLIED PEOPLES MOVEMENT (APM); and NATIONAL RESCUE MOVEMENT (NRM).
Defendants are PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA, GOVERNOR OF CBN, ZENITH, GUARANTY TRUST BANK, FIRST BANK, ECOBANK, ACCESS, UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA, UNION BANK OF NIGERIA, FIDELITY, KEY STONE, STERLING, POLARIS, FIRST CITY MONUMENT BANK, WEMA, HERITAGE, STANDARD CHARTERED BANK, STANGIC IBTC, JAIZ BANK, CITBANK, UNITY BANK, TAJ BANK, SUNTRUST BANK, GLOBUS BANK, LOTUS BANK, PREMIVAM TRUST BANK, PARALLEX BANK, PROVIDUS BANK and TITAN TRUST BANK LIMITED.
