A N1 billion lawsuit filed against former President Muhammadu Buhari and former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele has been struck out by the Federal High Court in Abuja
Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo, who delivered the ruling on Monday, struck out the suit over the plaintiff’s failure to diligently prosecute the case. The judge noted that the plaintiff, Abuja-based legal practitioner Uthman Isa Tochukwu, persistently failed to appear in court, offered no explanation for his absence, and showed no seriousness in pursuing the matter.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/418/2023, was filed over the hardships associated with the 2023 Naira redesign policy. Tochukwu had dragged the former President, the Attorney General of the Federation, the CBN, two commercial banks, and Emefiele to court, alleging that the policy violated his fundamental rights to freedom of movement and human dignity.
In his claims, Tochukwu said he was unable to access his funds in two commercial banks during the redesign exercise between January and March 2023, and that his movement was severely restricted. He sought N1 billion in damages, a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from withholding old N200, N500, and N1000 notes, and a public apology to be published in two national newspapers.
However, at Monday’s proceedings, neither the plaintiff nor his counsel, Bala Dakum, appeared in court. Counsel to the third and fourth defendants (Emefiele and the CBN), Mr. Chikelue Amasiani, highlighted the plaintiff’s repeated absence since the case was filed in 2023 and urged the court to strike out the suit for want of diligent prosecution.
In his brief ruling, Justice Ekwo agreed and struck out the case, noting that the plaintiff could refile when ready to seriously pursue his claims.
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 Governor Godwin Emefiele has been struck out by the Federal High Court in Abuja){kind=link}