'Made up of accrued interest' Court orders post-no-debit order against Kaduna businessman, two others over N1.7 billion debt

A Federal High court sitting in Kaduna has granted an order of post-no-debit (PND) against a Kaduna business mogul, Alhaji Bawa Garba, ABG Communications, and Engr Mohammed Bawa Garba, who are respondents in a suit.

A post-no-debit means that all debit transactions, including those involving the use of automated teller machines (ATMs) and cheques on an account, have been suspended but that money can be deposited into such account.

The Applicant, Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) approached the court in a motion ex-parte dated March 28, praying for an order for a post-no-debit on the accounts operated by the respondents/defendants pending the determination/disposal of the proceedings for the recovery of debt of N1.7 billion.

The applicant through its lawyer, Barrister AA Salisu, Esq, explained that the sum is made up of the principal debt and accrued interest against the defendants pursuant to section 50 of the AMCON Acts, 2019 (as amended).

In the motion ex-parte, AMCON also sought an order of the court for a post-no-debit over any funds in any account linked to the BVN belonging to the 2nd and the 3rd defendants/respondents pending the determination/disposal of the proceedings for the recovery of the debt.

Barrister Salisu further sought an order directing the following banks: Access Bank Plc, Ecobank Nigeria Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc, First Bank Plc, First City Monument Bank PLC, Guaranty Trust Bank PLC, Heritage Bank Plc, Keystone Bank Limited, Polaris Bank Plc, Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, Standard Chartered Bank, Sterling Bank Plc, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, United Bank for Africa Plc, Unity Bank Plc, Wema Bank of Nigeria Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Jaiz Bank Plc, and Taj Bank Plc, to file an affidavit before the Court disclosing any amount in the name of the Respondents/Defendants and standing to their credit and any sum therein as of the date of service of the order of the Court on the banks.

Meanwhile, the presiding Judge, Justice MG Umar, having heard and read the affidavit in support of 26 paragraphs and 4 exhibits deposed by one Aminu Sada, therefore, granted the order of post-no-debit on all accounts linked to the 1st defendant with the following banks: Access Bank Nigeria Plc, Eco Bank, Fidelity Bank, First Bank, Heritage Bank, Keystone Bank, Polaris Bank, UBA Bank, Union Bank, Unity Bank, and Zenith Bank pending the determination/disposal of the proceedings for the recovery of debt made up of the principal debt and accrued interest against the defendants pursuant to section 50 of the AMCON Act, 2019 (as amended).

The order signed by the principal Registrar 1, Maryam Abdulsalam, Esq, also granted an order of post-no-debit over any funds in accounts belonging to the 2nd and 3rd Defendants/Respondents pending the determination/disposal of the proceedings for the recovery of the debt made up of the principal debt and accrued interest against the Defendants/Respondents pursuant to section 50 of the AMCON Acts, 2019 as amended.

The court granted the order by the applicant seeking the said banks to file an affidavit, therefore, the court disclosing any amount in the name of the respondents/defendants and standing to their credits and any sum therein as of the date of service of the order of the court on the banks.

The judge adjourned the case to May 10, 2022, for a hearing.