Court restrains 11 banks from honouring any withdrawal transaction of ex-Rep’s accounts

Lagos—A Federal High Court in Lagos has restrained 11 commercial banks in Nigeria from honouring any withdrawal transaction on the accounts of a former member of the House of Representatives, Doris Uboh-Ogunkoya.

Uboh-Ogunkoya was a member of the House between 2007 and 2011 under the platform of Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, and also a Senatorial candidate of Labour Party in the 2015 general elections.

Trial judge, Justice Mohammed Yunusa, who made the order, restrained the affected banks from allowing Uboh-Ogunkoya to withdrawal from her accounts with the banks pending the hearing and determination of a motion on notice before the court.

The affected banks are United Bank for Africa, UBA, First Bank, Zenith Bank Enterprise Bank, Skye Bank, Heritage Bank, Keystone Bank, Mainstreet Bank, Union Bank, Diamond Bank and Stanbic IBTC.

* The order of the court was sequel to an application by Sterling Bank, through its lawyer, Dada Awosika against Uboh-Ogunkoya and her company, Dagasteel International Limited.

* Aside from the order freezing the lawmaker’s accounts in the 11 commercial banks, the court also restrained the Registrar of Titles of Lagos and Delta states, and Director of Lands, Abuja Geographical Information System,  from making any advancing payment and /or releasing any funds either in Naira or US dollar, which sum represents proceeds from Shell Petroleum Development Company,SPDC and Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, contract belonging to the lawmaker’s company, or her agent, privies, assigns or anyone acting through the lawmaker or her company.

Sterling Bank, in the suit, had stated that Uboh-Ogunkoya was granted multiple credit facilities of $1,600,000, and N100 million, to fund the completion of the contract awarded by the SDPC, NPA and Pipelines and Product Marketing Company Limited, PPMC, to the lawmaker’s company, Dagasteel International Limited.

The bank alleged that Uboh-Ogunkoya, as at the time the credit facilities were being granted to her, made available  her property measuring 3,055,195 SQM, situated at 22, Onuwa Street, behind Ogbe-Umudia mixed Secondary School, Agbor, Ika South Local Government, Delta State. Another property measuring 1334,342 SQM belonging to one Adebowale Ogunkoya, situated at Victory Estate, Ajah, in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos and a property situated at 11, Abdou Diof Crescent, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja were pledged as security/collateral for the loan.

 

Court restrains 11 banks from honouring any withdrawal transaction of ex-Rep’s accounts