Naira Redesign Hardship: Court Strikes Out N1bn Suit Against Buhari, Emefiele, CBN

Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has struck out a N1 billion suit filed against former President Muhammadu Buhari and former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Godwin Emefiele, over the hardships that trailed the 2023 Naira redesign policy.

The judge dismissed the suit filed by Uthman Isa Tochukwu, an Abuja-based legal practitioner, for lack of diligent prosecution of the case.

Justice Ekwo said he was convinced that the plaintiff had deliberately abandoned his case due to his persistent absence from court without legal representation or explanation.

The plaintiff in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/418/2023 had dragged the former President, Attorney General of the Federation, former governor of the CBN, and two commercial banks before the court, claiming that they inflicted a series of hardships on him during the redesign of the Naira.

In the suit filed by his counsel, Bala Dakum, the plaintiff alleged that his fundamental rights to freedom of movement and the dignity of his person were violently breached.

Specifically, the legal practitioner claimed his movement was curtailed. At the same time, his money in the two commercial banks could not be assessed during the hardship occasioned by the redesign of the Naira in January and March 2023.

He therefore prayed the court to award N1 billion damages against the defendants to be paid to him for violating his fundamental rights.

The plaintiff also demanded an order of perpetual injunction against Buhari and others restraining them from further withholding the old N200, N500 and N1000 denominations.

Similarly, he demanded that the court compel the defendants to issue public apologies that would be published in two major newspapers in the country.

However, at Monday’s proceedings, neither the plaintiff nor his counsel was in court and did not offer any excuse for their absence.

Counsel to the third and fourth defendants (Emefiele and CBN), Mr Chikelue Amasiani, drew Justice Ekwo’s attention to the plaintiff and his counsel’s persistent absence from court during past proceedings.

Amasiani said that since the suit was filed in 2023, neither the plaintiff nor his lawyer has shown any seriousness or commitment to prosecuting the case.

He prayed that the judge strike out the suit and that the plaintiff could come back to revive the case when ready to show seriousness.

Justice Ekwo agreed with the lawyer in a brief ruling and struck out the suit.