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.

On October 20, 2022, Inyang Ekwo, the presiding judge, issued the order in response to a garnishee request from Joe Agi, a senior Nigerian attorney who serves as the judgment creditor.

Emefiele was required to appear in court on January 18 after the court granted the application.

The matter was postponed till March 20 at the court session on Wednesday, though.
The meeting was adjourned without explanation.

BACKGROUND

The conflict arose from an alleged $70 million verdict against Linas International Ltd for Joe Agi’s (the attorney’s) help with the Paris Club return.

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”.

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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”.

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