Court stops FG from unlawful deduction of $418m from states’ accounts

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal high court Abuja has stopped the federal government from executing its plan to deduct $418million dollars from the bank account of the 36 states.

The Judge issued the restraining order against the federal government following an exparte application argued by counsel to the 36 states Jibril Otukepa and Ahmed Raji both senior advocate of Nigeria

While moving the application Mr Otukepa told the judge that the states would be completely crippled if the federal government should go ahead to deduct the huge amount from the bank accounts of its clients.

The federal government predicted the plan to deduct the $418million from the state account monthly as part of debts for contracts allegedly executed for the states.

After listening to the arguments of the 36 states Justice Ekwo ordered the federal government not to go ahead to make any deduction from the state account in respect of the purported court judgment until all issues relating to it are fully determined.