Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Olayemi Cardoso and the CBN’s Director of Legal Services, Salam-Alada Kofo, are facing a lawsuit for contempt of court at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The suit alleges their failure to fully comply with a judgment from the Supreme Court.
Melrose General Services, the applicant, filed the contempt suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/532/2025, naming Cardoso, Kofo, the CBN, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of Economy, Wale Edun, as respondents.
Melrose claims that the respondents have not released its N220 million, despite the Supreme Court’s ruling that reversed an earlier forfeiture of the funds.
Read Also: FG Reacts As Nigerians Fall Victim To CBEX
The legal action reportedly stems from the controversial Paris Club refund, which involved payments made to consultants who provided services to the Nigerian Governors’ Forum.
In June 2024, the Supreme Court overturned a previous forfeiture order concerning Melrose General Services Limited.
The Supreme Court directed the release of frozen funds, including N1.22 billion held in Melrose’s bank account and N220 million that had been transferred to Wasp Networks and Thebe Wellness as loans and investments.
The Supreme Court concluded that the EFCC had not adequately proven that the funds were proceeds of fraud, as alleged, and ordered the full amounts to be returned to their rightful owners.
However, Melrose alleges that nearly a year after the Supreme Court’s decision, while the CBN had refunded the N1.22 billion, the N220 million remained unpaid.
Through their lawyer, Chikaosolu Ojukwu, SAN, Melrose argued that the refusal to comply with the Supreme Court’s directive constitutes contempt of court, asserting that the partial compliance undermines the authority of the apex court.
In their defense, the CBN’s legal team, led by Abdulfatai Oyedele, argued that the Supreme Court directed the payment of the N220 million to the original accounts of Wasp Network Limited and Thebe Wellness Services, not directly to Melrose.
Oyedele further stated that Wasp Network had requested N200 million, while Thebe Wellness had yet to claim the remaining N20 million.
The EFCC, represented by M.A. Babatunde, filed a motion for misjoinder, arguing that it should not be a party to the case.
Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja is scheduled to resume hearing on the matter on June 4, 2025.
Join Informant Online WhatsApp Channel With Link Below: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaihFajBadmT29ufud2
