N74bn judgment: Ogoni community wants First Bank chairman jailed

Members of Ejama Community in Ogoniland have urged the Federal
High Court in Lagos to jail the Chairman of First Bank Nigeria
Limited, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika, over the bank’s alleged failure to
pay them a judgment sum of N74bn.

The community members had in 2010 got judgment against Shell
Petroleum Development Company in an oil spillage lawsuit, with the
court awarding N74bn in their favour.

According to the community, while going on appeal and seeking an
order staying the judgment execution, First Bank had stood as the
guarantor for the oil company.

The oil company, however, lost the appeal.

Counsel for the Ogoni community, Chief Rafiu Lawal-Rabana (SAN),
contended that despite the court judgment awarding N74bn in favour
of his clients since 2010, First Bank had refused to obey the court
judgment.

He, therefore, filed applications for contempt proceedings,
seeking the imprisonment of the bank’s chairman.

At the Wednesday’s hearing before Justice Ibrahim Buba,
Lawal-Rabana, however, lamented the absence of the bank’s chairman,
despite being summoned.

“I have observed that the 2nd and 3rd contemnors are not in
court. By the nature of this application and proceedings, they are
bound to be in court because they were summoned to be in court to
show cause why they will not be charged for contempt.

“As it is now, no proceedings can be conducted. Though, I do
know that the second and third contemnors are highly placed people,
there is no immunity for them.

“It is our prayer that the contemnors must be in court before
proceedings can commence,” Lawal-Rabana said.

But counsel for First Bank, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), said
his clients had already filed a preliminary objection, challenging
the court’s jurisdiction to hear the contempt proceedings.

He argued that until the preliminary objection was decided by
the court, his clients were not mandated to be in court.

In a short ruling, Justice Buba upheld Olanipekun’s argument
that the bank’s chairman’s presence in court was not necessary
until the court decides the application challenging its
jurisdiction.

The judge, therefore, adjourned to hear the arguments on
jurisdiction and contempt charges on May 14th 2018.

Members of Ejama Community in Ogoniland have urged the Federal
High Court in Lagos to jail the Chairman of First Bank Nigeria
Limited, Mrs. Ibukun Awosika, over the bank’s alleged failure to
pay them a judgment sum of N74bn.

The community members had in 2010 got judgment against Shell
Petroleum Development Company in an oil spillage lawsuit, with the
court awarding N74bn in their favour.

According to the community, while going on appeal and seeking an
order staying the judgment execution, First Bank had stood as the
guarantor for the oil company.

The oil company, however, lost the appeal.

Counsel for the Ogoni community, Chief Rafiu Lawal-Rabana (SAN),
contended that despite the court judgment awarding N74bn in favour
of his clients since 2010, First Bank had refused to obey the court
judgment.

He, therefore, filed applications for contempt proceedings,
seeking the imprisonment of the bank’s chairman.

At the Wednesday’s hearing before Justice Ibrahim Buba,
Lawal-Rabana, however, lamented the absence of the bank’s chairman,
despite being summoned.

“I have observed that the 2nd and 3rd contemnors are not in
court. By the nature of this application and proceedings, they are
bound to be in court because they were summoned to be in court to
show cause why they will not be charged for contempt.

“As it is now, no proceedings can be conducted. Though, I do
know that the second and third contemnors are highly placed people,
there is no immunity for them.

“It is our prayer that the contemnors must be in court before
proceedings can commence,” Lawal-Rabana said.

But counsel for First Bank, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), said
his clients had already filed a preliminary objection, challenging
the court’s jurisdiction to hear the contempt proceedings.

He argued that until the preliminary objection was decided by
the court, his clients were not mandated to be in court.

In a short ruling, Justice Buba upheld Olanipekun’s argument
that the bank’s chairman’s presence in court was not necessary
until the court decides the application challenging its
jurisdiction.

The judge, therefore, adjourned to hear the arguments on
jurisdiction and contempt charges on May 14th 2018.