COURT DENIES FEDERAL GOVT. OF NIGERIA'S APPLICATION FOR SEIZURE OF MTN FUNDS IN NIGERIAN BANKS

The Federal Government of Nigeria had sought to seize all funds owned by MTN Nigeria Communications Limited in Nigeria pending when MTN pays the outstanding N1.4 trillion fine levelled against it as sanction for not deactivating unregistered sim cards.
The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) through his counsel Dipo Okpeseyi (SAN) had filed a motion to seize MTN funds in Nigerian banks since it had a habit of transferring their funds to foreign banks.

However Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos in his ruling denied the Federal Government of Nigeria's application saying that it provided no evidence to show that MTN was indeed moving its funds out of Nigerian banks.

Hearing of the case filed by MTN against the Federal Government of Nigeria over the N1.4 trillion fine needs to be heard first, Justice Idris ruled.