12th August, 2010
In a bid to satisfy a judgement debt of N11,031,407.88, a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, South West Nigeria, has ordered that the account of Nigeria Railway Corporation domiciled with First Bank of Nigeria Plc, be attached with immediate effect.
The order was sequel to an application filed before the court on behalf of Mr. Michael Olatoye Oyesola, a staff of Nigeria Railway Corporation that was unjustly dismissed, by a Lagos lawyer, Barrister Olanipekun Orewale.
According to an affidavit in support of the application sworn to by one Emem Obot, it was alleged that sometimes in January 2003, Mr. Oyesola commenced the legal action against Nigeria Railway Corporation, claiming among other things, that his purported dismissal on 4 January, 2002 was unlawful, null and void.
After the conclusion of the trial of the suit, the court entered judgement in favour of the applicant on 25 March, 2010. In the said judgement, the Nigeria Railway Corporation was ordered to pay Mr. Oyesola all his outstanding salaries from the date of his dismissal to that of the judgement.
The total amount due for payment is N11,031,407.88.
The NRC filed an application for stay of execution of the judgement which was opposed by the applicant and the court ordered that the judgement sum be paid to the Chief Registrar of the court, who, in turn, shall pay into interest yielding account, but the defendant failed to do so.
In view of the flagrant disobedience of the order, the applicant urged the court to attach the funds of the corporation in five accounts maintained with First Bank of Nigeria Plc.
The deponent averred further that it was the only way the court’s could be obeyed as the applicant had been experiencing hardship since he was unjustly dismissed.
In his ruling, Justice Akinjide Ajakaiye ordered that Nigeria Railway Corporation’s funds in the said accounts should be attached to satisfy the judgement sum.