News
Groups Urge Supreme Court To Review Judgment In Multi-million Dollar Contractual Dispute
A consortium of civil society organizations have appealed to the Supreme Court to review its judgment in a multi-million dollar contractual dispute between an indigenous company, Owigs and Obigs Nig. Ltd and the Zenith Bank Plc.
The groups anchored by the Empowerment for Unemployed Youths Initiative, Independent Public Service Accountability Watch, among others, made the call Tuesday in Abuja at a press conference
The convener of the groups, Stephen Ebira, while speaking on the matter faulted the judgment of the apex court, insisting it was punctuated by decisions and misrepresentation of facts, contrary to the evidence adduced before the trial court.
He noted that the said judgment sought to be reviewed which was in favour of Zenith bank, which amounted to a miscarriage of justice as the wrongdoer was declared innocent and rewarded, while the victim of the said contract gone awry was held liable and punished.
While restating that the Supreme Court should be a place for the restoration of hope for the ordinary and aggrieved persons and not where truth is strangulated, as was the case in the judgment under reference, the groups insisted that the judgment cast a terrible slur on the presumed integrity of the apex court.
They also said it has dealt a lethal blow on the integrity of the nation’s banking sector when playing any role in international businesses.
“The judgment in appeals no: SC.709/2020 delivered on May 24, 2024, is a broad-day robbery of justice.
“The Supreme Court should be a place where justice is birthed, not assassinated and buried.
“It raised a red flag for investors and tarnished the surviving fragment of the nation’s reputation before the international communities, and should be quickly reviewed,” the statement emphasised.
Our correspondents gathered from the court processes that the law suit bother on a breach of an international commercial contract for the export of solid minerals on a 100% credit basis, with letter of credit confirmation by the confirming bank (Zenith Bank) as required by the fundamental credit term of the contract.
The main contract, according to the claimant’s, Owing and Obigs Nig Ltd, in the contract marked: JYOONL-OO1/ KTTA 140415, is a quadrilateral agreement between the buyer, seller, LC issuing bank, and LC confirming bank, comprising four interdependent and interrelated autonomous contracts.
Sadly, it noted, the confirming bank (Zenith bank Plc) was alleged to have maliciously breached the critical fundamental credit term without any reason whatsoever, thereby, activating the contract’s default clause, triggering off specific damages without remedy amounting to millions of dollars.
The appellant argued that the judgment of the apex court curiously created a fake irrevocable documentary letter of credit with SWIFT MT 700, without a confirming bank, contradicting the original document and making a mockery of international trade standards and practices.
“This false irrevocable documentary letter of credit with SWIFT MT 700 is issued for contract agents and facilitators instead of the buyer-seller contract,” the NGOs states.
They also alleged that the judgment altered parties in the case by the misconceived irrevocable documentary letter of credit which listed only three parties, excluding the confirming bank/respondent, instead of the four parties as contained in the processes filed in the court.
They claimed that “in the judgment, the Supreme Court re-wrote an international contract for the parties in favour of the breaching party by subsisting a non-party with the actual party, and removed the liabilities of the legitimate party to a non-party contrary to the evidence on record and protocol upheld by Uniform Trade Customs and Practice which ruled and governed the contract.- A treaty to which Nigeria is a signatory.
The seller’s bank (Zenith bank PLC) was declared the issuing bank instead of confirming bank, contrary to the evidence on record and serial admissions by the bank, in order to absolve the confirming bank as the breaching party from it’s default liabilities, they stated.
The appellant’s claimed that “it’s fundamental right to generate/earn revenue and profits through legitimate business transactions as established by the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria was maliciously breached due to the malicious violation of contract No JYOONL-OO1/KTTA 140415”.
The appellant explained that “it’s decision to approach the apex court was not to seek special damages or rights, as misconstrued by the court, but rather it was to enforce the specific remedies outlined in the contract’s default and liability clause; which specifically warned against breach of contract and consequences including the appellant’s right to generate revenue, which the breaching bank violated under the sales contract.
“The case of the appellant is that after securing an export licence to export solid minerals sometimes in 2014, Zenith bank Plc agreed to offer export finance facility if it could secure an export trade contract backed by an acceptable letter of credit from foreign entity/company.
“Following discussions with the bank, the appellant engaged the services of an international agent, Eglone Group Asia Pte Limited based in Singapore, to help it broker/secure foreign buyers for tin Ore, tantalite ore and columbite ore.
“Eglone Group Asia Pte Limited eventually succeeded in getting two buyers for the appellant (Owigs and Obigs Nig. Ltd) in March and April 2014.
“The first contract that was secured is contract No. Jy-OONL-001, dated March 5, 2014, which was executed between the appellant and Guangdong Jiayuan Metals Co. Ltd of China for the supply of Tin ore; while the second contract with contract No. KTTA 140145, dated April 15, 2014, was executed between the appellant and King-Tan Tantalum Industry Ltd of China for the supply of Columbite ore and tantalite ore.
“However, due to the failure of the appellant (Owigs and Obigs Nig.Ltd) to execute the contract on time, the contracts were cancelled, and penalty fees were deducted by Zenith bank from the appellant’s account”.
According to the appellant, “the cancellation of the contracts was because Zenith bank failed/neglected to confirm letters of credit issued by the buyer’s bank, the Industrial and Commerce Bank of China (ICBC).
“It was based on this that the appellant commenced legal actions against the bank, claiming monetary damages for the negligence”.
The Methodist Church Nigeria has honoured the General Manager of the Enugu State Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA), Hon. Monday Diamond Ani, with the prestigious “Apostle of Faith Award” in recognition of his outstanding humanitarian services and contributions to community development.
The award was presented by the Methodist Diocese of Akegbe, Aninri and Awgu Archdiocese (AAA) under the leadership of Rt. Rev. C. Orji, the Methodist Bishop of AAA Diocese, Enugu.
According to the Church, the honour was bestowed on Hon. Ani in acknowledgment of his selfless commitment to community development, social welfare, and humanitarian service over the years. The Church noted that his contributions have transcended political considerations and have positively impacted countless lives across communities.
His consistent humanitarian interventions have earned him the popular title “Odoziobodo”, meaning “one who builds and restores communities.”
Hon. Ani is widely regarded as a passionate advocate for community service, driven by a desire to improve living standards and promote love, unity, and a sense of
belonging among the people. His dedication reflects Christ’s teaching on the greatest commandment—love for God and love for one’s neighbour—placing service to humanity at the centre of purposeful living.
Due to his unavoidable absence, the award was received on his behalf and later presented to him at his office by Dr. Okechukwu Animba, Vice President (South-East) of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).
Responding to the honour, Hon. Ani expressed profound gratitude to Rt. Rev. C. Orji and the entire Methodist Diocese for recognising his humanitarian efforts. He prayed for God’s continued grace and strength to serve humanity and touch more lives through his work.
He also appreciated his principal, the Executive Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, for appointing him to lead the CSDA, an agency charged with driving community interventions and sustainable development across the state.
When the Enugu State House of Assembly adopted the report of its Special Committee on Land Matters and Disputes in 2024, many observers described it as a watershed moment in the long-running controversy surrounding the Centenary City land in Amechi and Obeagu communities.
The report attracted national attention because it tackled a dispute that had generated numerous court cases, allegations of intimidation, destruction of property, community unrest, and claims involving some of the most influential figures in the state.
For many residents of Amechi and Obeagu, the Assembly’s intervention provided the first official platform where their grievances appeared to receive impartial consideration. The committee’s findings were widely commended for their detailed examination of the circumstances surrounding the acquisition and development of over 1,097 hectares of ancestral land.
At the heart of the controversy was the allegation that Private Estates International West Africa Limited (PEIWA), operating under a development agreement with the Enugu State Government, relied on questionable documents to assert rights over vast portions of land originally linked to a proposed university project initiated during the administration of former Anambra State Governor, Dr. Jim Nwobodo.
After reviewing submissions from the parties, the Assembly committee identified several inconsistencies in documents connected with the acquisition process. Among its findings were concerns regarding the authenticity of a survey plan purportedly prepared for the “Permanent Site of Enugu State University of Science and Technology” in 1985, despite the fact that Enugu State had not yet been created at that time.
Controversial Enugu Centenary Land: A Daniel Has Come To Judgement
The committee also questioned the authenticity of signatures and official endorsements appearing on key documents, including survey records, gazette notices, and correspondences allegedly executed on behalf of traditional authorities in Amechi and Obeagu communities.
Based on these findings, the committee concluded that the host communities had established that they were not properly carried along in the acquisition process and recommended dialogue, compensation, government intervention, and a comprehensive audit of lands developed under the Centenary City project.
At the time, many hailed the report as evidence that the legislature was willing to confront powerful interests in defence of justice and accountability.
Two years later, events appear to have given fresh significance to those findings.
Today, Kingsley Eze, Chamberlin Mbachu and Private Estates International (W.A.) Limited are facing criminal charges before the Federal High Court, Enugu, in connection with the alleged forgery of a survey plan linked to the disputed acquisition of ancestral lands in Amechi and Obeagu communities.
According to the charge sheet in Charge No. FHC/EN/CR/84/2025, the defendants are accused of conspiring to forge a survey plan titled “Permanent Site of Enugu State University of Science and Technology” purportedly dated 1985.
The prosecution alleges that the defendants knowingly made or uttered the survey plan as a genuine document despite its alleged falsity. The offences are said to be punishable under relevant provisions of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
The criminal charges have drawn renewed attention to the conclusions reached by the Enugu State House of Assembly in 2024, particularly its observations regarding inconsistencies surrounding the same survey plan and related acquisition documents.
The developments have also prompted further advocacy from civil society organisations. The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has called on the Inspector-General of Police to direct the Police Monitoring Unit to take over investigations and prosecutions connected with the dispute, investigate allegations of misconduct against certain police officers, and review criminal proceedings allegedly used for harassment and intimidation.
In a separate petition dated May 28, 2026, RULAAC also urged the Inspector-General of Police to intervene in two criminal cases pending before the Federal High Court, Enugu, citing repeated failures by law enforcement authorities to produce defendants for arraignment.
The cases include Charge No. FHC/EN/CR/84/2025, IGP v. Kingsley Eze & 2 Others, and Charge No. FHC/EN/CR/222/2024, IGP v. Alex Ifeadi & 2 Others.
As the criminal proceedings continue, many observers believe the matter has entered a decisive phase. The allegations that were once the subject of community petitions, legislative inquiries and public debate are now before a court of law for determination.
Whether the Assembly’s 2024 report marked the beginning of accountability or merely one chapter in a much longer struggle remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that the issues raised by the Amechi and Obeagu communities have not faded away. Instead, they have evolved into a legal test that could shape public confidence in land administration, governance and the rule of law in Enugu State for years to come.
If the legislative findings, criminal investigations and court proceedings ultimately converge on the truth, then many residents may indeed conclude that, at long last, a Daniel has come to judgment.
Son of the late head of state and former Minister of Defence, Chief Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi, in a letter of remembrance and solidarity written on behalf of the Aguiyi-Ironsi family to the Fajuyi family, marking the 60th anniversary of his death, said July 29, 2026, will be a solemn occasion to honour a soldier they described as “a war hero who offered himself as a sacrificial lamb for the unity and integrity of the nation.”
The family recalled that Lt Col Fajuyi, then Military Governor of the Western Region, made the ultimate sacrifice in 1966 when mutinous soldiers abducted him alongside Maj Gen Aguiyi-Ironsi in Ibadan during the military counter-coup.
They stated that Fajuyi, in a defining moment of conscience, chose honour over personal safety and refused to abandon his guest and superior, a decision the family said reflected the highest ideals of loyalty, integrity, and military brotherhood.
According to the statement, his action transformed him into a national martyr whose legacy continued to inspire unity, courage, and selfless service.
The Aguiyi-Ironsi family also expressed sympathy with the Fajuyi family, acknowledging the enduring pain of their loss, while praying for continued strength, comfort, and peace.
The statement further stated, “He did not run. He did not hide. He chose to stand. In that sacrificial decision lay the essence of his greatness.”
The family called on government institutions, military authorities, and custodians of national memory to ensure sustained recognition and support for the Fajuyi family, stressing that his sacrifice remained a national responsibility to remember and honour.
It urged Nigerians to draw inspiration from his life and death, noting that his legacy continues to challenge the nation to uphold unity, courage, honour, and selfless service.
Fajuyi was killed on July 29, 1966, during the military counter-coup in Ibadan alongside Aguiyi-Ironsi.
By Okey Maduforo Awka
The emergence of Chief Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere as the Minority Leader of the Federal House of Representatives has been described as a vindication of the fact that the Action People’s Party (APP ) represents the collective interests of the Nigerian masses.
Recall that recently, Ugochinyere was elected as the Minority Leader of the party in a keenly contested election of the Federal House of Representatives.
According to a statement by the Chairman Anambra state chapter of the APP Chief Chijioke Okeke, Ugochinyere had been consistent in offering himself as the voice of the people and that of the voiceless.
“It did not come to us as a surprise that our great leader High Chief Ugochinyere became the Minority leader of the Federal House of Representatives because he has always been consistent and focus towards providing himself as the only vent for the masses at the Green Chambers”
“We know his pedegre as a politician as well as a leader and he has remained focus in ensuring that the voiceless are heard and this is also a vindication of our party’s unflinching desire to provide a veritable platform in a democratic process”
Okeke further stated that the fifth columnists who had attempted to deregister the party have been put to shame adding that the party shall continue to champion the interests of the Nigerian people.
“They made failed attempt at deregistering our great party but they lost sight of the fact that the APP is firmely rooted on ground and has all that it takes to drive the wishes and aspirations of the Nigerian populace and with this recent development our traducers have been put to shame and our party is on the path of further greatness “. Okeke noted .
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