A Federal High Court in Abuja has summoned Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, to appear on Wednesday (today) over a $53 million judgement debt arising from the Pars Club refunds.

Justice Inyang Ekwo in an application for garnishee made on October 20, 2022, ordered Emefiele to appear on January 18 as the hearing date for the matter.

The order followed the application by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Joe Agi, against Linas International Ltd, Minister of Finance and the CBN through his lawyers, Isaac Ekpa and Chinonso Obasi, 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.

The suit arose over an alleged $70 million judgment against Linas over the lawyer’s services in the Paris Club refund, which Emefiele was said to have released only $17 million, leaving an outstanding $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.”

Daily Trust