The Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan has extended its Interim Injunction against the United Bank for Africa (UBA), maintaining a no-debit order on 30 bank accounts where withheld allocations of Osun State local governments were deposited by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Justice Ladiran Akintola, in a ruling on Friday, granted the extension to ensure all parties in Suit No. 1/1149/2025 — the Attorney-General of Osun State, the Osun State Local Government Service Commission, and UBA Plc — receive fair hearing.
Although counsel to UBA was absent, lawyers representing the court-sacked APC council chairmen, led by Kazeem Gbadamosi, SAN, appeared after filing an application for joinder and another challenging the court’s jurisdiction. However, plaintiffs’ counsel, Musibau Adetunmbi, SAN, objected, arguing that the former council officials lacked locus standi since their application for joinder had not yet been decided.
Adetunmbi also requested more time to study the new filings, stressing that the injunction was necessary to safeguard the disputed funds until the Supreme Court determines the substantive matter.
Supporting the claimants, Mrs. Aluko Rachael Abidemi, Head of Local Government Administration in Boluwaduro LGA, filed a deposition alleging attempts by unauthorized persons to divert council funds in defiance of the court order. She cited a letter in which two individuals, who lacked legal authority, instructed UBA to pay 15% of the allocations into the account of a private law firm.
The plaintiffs maintained that the issue of legitimate local government leadership in Osun remains before the Supreme Court in Suit No. SC/CV/773/2025, which is scheduled for hearing on 7 October.
Speaking after the ruling, Adetunmbi emphasized that the injunction was crucial to prevent the disputed funds — running into billions of naira — from being siphoned off before the apex court delivers its verdict.
“The crux of the matter is to safeguard the money pending the Supreme Court’s determination. Without this preservation order, the funds would have been gone by now,” he said.
Source:Africa Publicity
