The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court has slammed N85 million in damages on Zenith Bank and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) for freezing a customer’s account based on an invalid court order.
Delivering judgment in suit FCT/HC/CV/2194/2024, Justice S. U. Bature ruled that the bank’s action—relying on a supposed order from a Chief Magistrate Court in Mararaba Gurku, Nasarawa State—was both unlawful and a betrayal of the banker-customer relationship.
The court ordered Zenith Bank to immediately unfreeze the account belonging to Abhulimen & Co, domiciled at its 63 Usuma Street, Maitama branch in Abuja. The bank and the police must also publish a public apology in two national newspapers and on the bank’s website.
Justice Bature criticised the bank for claiming to act on an order from a Magistrate Court that had no jurisdiction over banking matters, let alone the power to freeze a bank account.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria Paulyn O. Abhulimen, through Kehinde & Partners LP, had sued after discovering in early 2024 that her firm’s account had been restricted with a post-no-debit instruction. According to court records, Zenith Bank claimed the freeze was ordered by the NPF on March 13, 2024.
The judge dismissed the bank’s defence, describing its conduct as illogical, unlawful, and damaging to its customer’s trust.