Justice Ademola Freezes Benue, Plateau States Accounts Over Refusal By State Govt To Pay Salaries

by Deji Abiodun

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the freezing of accounts belonging Benue and Plateau States in four commercial banks, over their alleged refusal to release funds for the payment of wages and allowances of court workers in the states.

Justice Ademola Adeniyi , who gave the order while ruling on two ex-parte motions filed by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), who sought to attach the states’ accounts in the banks over their alleged refusal to pay about N1.6 billion to satisfy the January 13, 2014 judgment given by the judge.

The Judge ordered the state governments to show cause why an order nisi should not be made absolute by the court.”

Justice Ademola, in the 2014 judgment, affirmed the financial autonomy status granted the judiciary by the constitution and abolished funding of the arm of government by the state governments.

The Union stated, in their ex-parte motions, that the amount due to Benue State Judiciary “as at March 2015, is N957.6 million” and the amount due to the Plateau State Judiciary for the same period is N673.01 million.

Justice Ademola adjourned the case to the 1st of June 2015.

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