Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a N1 billion lawsuit filed against former President Muhammadu Buhari and former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele, which stemmed from the hardships caused by the 2023 Naira redesign policy.
The case, brought by Abuja-based lawyer Uthman Isa Tochukwu, was struck out due to a lack of diligent prosecution.
In his ruling on Monday, Justice Ekwo stated he was convinced the plaintiff had intentionally abandoned the case, noting his repeated absence from court without legal representation or any justification.
The lawsuit, identified as FHC/ABJ/CS/418/2023, involved the former President, the Attorney General of the Federation, the ex-CBN governor, the CBN itself, and two commercial banks.
The plaintiff alleged that during the Naira redesign exercise, his fundamental rights to freedom of movement and personal dignity were severely violated.
Represented initially by his lawyer, Bala Dakum, the plaintiff claimed that the policy restricted his movements and made it impossible to access his funds in two commercial banks during the cash scarcity in early 2023.
He sought N1 billion in damages for the alleged violations and requested a perpetual injunction to prevent Buhari and others from continuing to withhold the old N200, N500, and N1000 notes.
Additionally, he sought a court order compelling the defendants to issue a public apology in two major Nigerian newspapers.
However, during Monday’s court session, neither the plaintiff nor his lawyer appeared, nor did they provide any explanation for their absence.
Mr. Chikelue Amasiani, representing Emefiele and the CBN (the 3rd and 4th defendants), pointed out the plaintiff’s consistent failure to attend court sessions since filing the case in 2023, arguing that they had demonstrated no commitment to pursuing the matter.
Amasiani urged the court to strike out the case, suggesting that the plaintiff could revive it if and when he was ready to proceed diligently. Agreeing with this argument, Justice Ekwo struck out the suit in a brief ruling.
