Ex-Kogi Deputy Governor to Receive N1.07bn As Ordered by Court

The National Industrial Court in Abuja has directed United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc to pay N1.07 billion to former Kogi State Deputy Governor, Simon Achuba, to satisfy a judgment debt owed by the Kogi State Government.

Justice R. B. Haastrup delivered the ruling on November 27, confirming an earlier garnishee order nisi after finding that UBA failed to prove that the funds in the Kogi State Government account were World Bank monies or jointly owned by 19 northern states.

Achuba, represented by human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN), had urged the court to make the earlier order absolute, noting UBA’s admission that it held sufficient funds in the Kogi State ACRESAL IDA Designated Account, a dollar account with the bank.

UBA argued that the funds were sourced from the World Bank for environmental projects across northern states and were therefore unavailable to settle the debt. Justice Haastrup dismissed this claim, ruling that the bank provided no credible documentary evidence.

The court emphasized that when a garnishee admits funds sufficient to satisfy a judgment but cannot prove they are legally restricted, “the law does not permit depriving a successful litigant of the fruits of his judgment.”

The judgment directs UBA to pay N1,070,860,138 to Achuba, alongside N2 million as costs awarded by the Court of Appeal and N1 million for the garnishee proceedings. The total sum is to be transferred directly into Achuba’s Access Bank account.

Other banks previously joined as garnishees, including Zenith Bank, First Bank, GTBank, Access Bank, and Polaris Bank, were discharged.

The ruling marks a significant development in Achuba’s legal dispute with the Kogi State Government over his removal from office in 2019.

Justice Haastrup also criticized the conduct of Kogi State government’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), describing his application as malafide and intended to circumvent the Court of Appeal’s orders and constitutional provisions. The judge awarded N1 million personally against Daudu in favor of Achuba, citing professional misconduct.