Financial transactions were halted today in all the branches of Zenith Bank in Owerri, Imo State.
According to reports oeratives of the Nigeria Police Force stormed the branches earlier today and sealed them up after sending staff members and customers out of the banking hall.
The police are said to have acted harshly on the bank following a court judgment against it earlier. The security operatives according to reports have been mounted at the entrances to all the branches of the bank.
An employee of the bank who spoke to The PUNCH noted that the National Industrial Court in Owerri issued an absolute garnishee Order against the bank in a suit filed by a former deputy governor of Imo state, Eze Madumere, over his entitlements.
“The policemen are implementing an absolute garnishee Order against Zenith Bank in a matter filed by a former deputy governor of Imo State, Prince Eze Madumere against Imo state government over his owed entitlements by the state government.
“The order is for N1.9bn entitlements claim and the policemen have come to implement the court order,” the bank staff was quoted as saying.
Reacting, however, to the development, the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, said that court judgment was delivered wrongly.
The Commissioner said, “The judge who gave the judgment did it in such a way that he connived with the people against the Imo State Government. How could a judge give a judgement and bar the defendants from appealing it and gave 24 hours for the implementation of the judgement?
“I think that there is a vested interest. We are exploring other legal options to vacate the order. The judgement can’t stand serious legal scrutiny anywhere. It is a kangaroo judgement. The whole entitlements of a former deputy governor are not more than N200m. So, I wonder why a judge will order the payment of such a bogus amount.
“There are policemen in Imo state but they went and brought policemen from Zone 9 in Umuahia. Nobody can intimidate the government. We can’t be cowed. We must do what is right for the good of the people of Imo state.”
