The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has granted Interim Orders for Mareva Injunction on 20 May, 2024 in Suit FHC/L/CS/509/2024 between Union Bank Of Nigeria Plc and three defendants, Stallionaire Nigeria Limited, Mr. Deji Matthew Somoye and Supreme Shipping and Marine Services Limited.
The parties are in a dispute before Justice Ibrahim Ahmad Kala which led to the court temporarily freezing the accounts of the Defendants up to N5,858,692,168.58 (billion) in order to protect the res.
Other parties listed as respondents are commercial banks and FinTechs.
The plaintiff/applicant, through their lawyers T. Adamolekun, G. Akinde-Peters and Boluwatife Oloyede, filed a motion ex-parte application, backed by an affidavit sworn by Segun Omoshola seeking several prayers
Their application sought the following reliefs, including an order varying the Interim Order for Mareva Injunction made by the Court on the 25th day of March, 2024 to discharge Orders (1), (2), (3), and (4) principally attaching the Defendants’ Vessels and to strike out the names of the 4th to 8th respondents. Counsel submitted before the Court that the application was filed so that the court does not make an Order in vain.
After hearing counsel, the court ordered that an Interim order of Mareva Injunction is granted freezing the Defendants accounts and connected with the 2nd Defendant’s BVN domiciled with the 4th to 31st Respondents of all monies standing to their credits up to the tune of N5,858,692,168.58 or its equivalent value in any foreign currency pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice dated and filed on the 20/5/2024.
An Interim Order of Mareva Injunction restraining the 9th to 31st Respondents herein from releasing to the Defendants’ monies or funds in whatsoever manner or Instrument standing to the credit of the Defendants (described above) and in any other bank account(s) linked to and/or connected with the 2nd Defendant’s BVN, that may be or found in the custody or possession of the 4th to 31st Respondents pending. the hearing and determination of the motion on notice dated and filed on the 20/5/2024.
An order is granted directing the 4th to 31 Respondents to disclose by filling in this Honourable Court, and Affidavit on Oath of the total sum of monies or funds standing to the credits of the Defendants and in any other bank account(s) linked to and connected with the 2nd Defendant’s BVN within seven (7) days upon service of this Order.
“An order of this Honourable Court that any other part of the Order of 25th of March, 2024 not specifically altered or varied or affected by prayers 1 and 2 above shall remain and subsist as they are in the order of 25th March, 2024.”
Justice Kala, upon reading the motion ex-parte and the Sworn Affidavit and after hearing the counsel for the Plaintiff/Applicant urging the court to grant same, held:
“It is hereby order as follows: Order as prayed as per prayers 1 and 2 of the application pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed on 20/5/2024.
An Order discharging order (1), (2), (3), and (4) principally attaching the Defendants’ Vessels i.e. MT ADEBOMI 1, Oil Tanker with Official No: 377872.”
