Nasarawa: Court lifts garnishee order for lacking merit

THE Abuja High Court sitting in the Federal Capital Territory has set aside the judgement of National Industrial Court of Nigeria in Benue State which ruled in favour of 600 retirees under the aegis of Concerned Pensioners and as well ordered for the defreezing of the state government’s accounts

The presiding judge,Justice Suleiman Belgore in his judgement which lasted for two hours   Friday,  said the matter on ground filed  was not registerable.

According to Justice Belgore, the complainant counsel, S.O Okpale presented a distorted fact stating that the leadership of the concerned were  not inaugurated as members of the disbursement committee.

The applicant counsel, S.O.Okpale commended the presiding Judge for the Judgement but remarked that the complainants would challenge the outcome of the Judgement in appeal court.

The State Commissioner of Justice, Barrister Abdulkarim Abubakar Kana thanked the presiding Judge, Justice Suleiman Belgore for his maturity over the matter.

He advised counsel to the concerned retirrees to do the needful by considering the plight of the people by not misleading their clients.

Kana in an interview shortly after the Judgement, expressed satisfaction over the outcome of the matter,saying the defreezing of the State accounts mark the commencement  of  all formalities  to the resolution of the matter.

The applicant legal team comprises of S.O.Okpale,the lead counsel,A.O Odonyi, A.O.Atubu,A.M.Owuna while the defense counsel  was made up  of the State Commissioner of Justice,Abdulkarim Kana, Dr.M.T Adelakun,Sharif Mohammed,Abu Samson,Raymond Umaru and M.Z Dikko.

Other counsels in  the matter  were  John O for first ganishee which is Zenith bank,  Bar.M.A Idu second ganishee for Fedelity bank, Taiwo Ajagbe ,third ganishee for First City Monument Bank (FCMB).

Others are Bar.Abdulrazak Alfa fourth ganishee for United Bank for Africa (UBA), Joseph Agbo,  fifth ganishee for Union bank, Nkechi Udeze as counsel for Eko bank.

Counsel for Stanbic IBTC bank is Confidence Fimie as seventh ganishee,Akogu Egina as 11 ganishee of Sterling bank,A.R.Ajibade representing Polaris.C.M Maduka 15th ganishee for Keystone bank.

U H Usman ,fifteen ganishee representing First bank,Chemiezi Emeka representing Unity bank,Koeiuiyi Arinze representing Guranttee Trust Bank (GTB) while Sunday Adegbo 16 ganishee represent the apex bank ,Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).