Court adjourns MTN’s suit against FG, CBN to December 4

Justice Saliu Saidu of a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has fixed December 4, 2018, for hearing of the preliminary objection filed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other pending applications in a suit earlier instituted by MTN Nigeria.

The communications firm had filed a suit against the CBN and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) over alleged illegal remittance of $8.1 billion.

When the matter was mentioned yesterday, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), leading four other Senior Advocates of Nigeria for MTN, told the court that CBN has filed its defence, noting that MTN had also filed response to the defence and counter claim.

Responding to his submission, counsel to CBN, Seyi Sowemimo (SAN) and Demola Akerele (SAN) informed the court that the CBN has filed preliminary objection in addition to the defence.

After going through the court’s records, Justice Saidu observed that there is no proof of service before the court to show that the AGF has filed any response, even though there is proof of service of other processes filed by the other party.

With the agreement of counsel on both sides, Justice Saidu adjourned the matter till December 4, 2018 for hearing.In a statement of claim jointly filed by Olanipekun and four other counsel, MTN stated that between 2001and 2006, its shareholders invested $402.5 million in the telecommunications firm to meet various obligations, including statutory payments to the Federal Government, which was confirmed by the CBN.