₦7.4bn Court Battle: UBA MD, Top Executives Face Jail As Police Step Up Enforcement

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of United Bank for Africa (UBA), Oliver Alawuba, and other senior executives of the bank face possible committal to prison as Mauritz Walton Nigeria Limited intensifies efforts to enforce a ₦7.44 billion judgment linked to the Benue State Government.

The escalating legal battle has also triggered tension at some UBA branches in the Federal Capital Territory, where employees are reportedly apprehensive over possible enforcement actions, including the attachment of the bank’s assets.

A staff member at one of the bank’s Abuja branches, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said armed policemen recently visited the premises and indicated that they would return during the week.

According to the employee, the visit caused anxiety among staff, with workers expressing concern about the possible impact of further enforcement actions.

The source also said some employees had become reluctant to use the bank’s bullion vans for cash transportation amid fears that the vehicles could be affected by the enforcement exercise.

The dispute stems from a judgment debt of ₦7,448,113,025.42 obtained by Mauritz Walton Nigeria Limited against the Benue State Government.

In an earlier ruling, the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, presided over by Justice Bello Kawu, made a Garnishee Order Nisi absolute against UBA and directed the bank to pay the judgment sum to the judgment creditors through their solicitors within 24 hours of being served with the order.

The court discharged the other 20 garnishees from the proceedings, leaving UBA as the financial institution against which the payment order was made.

Justice Kawu also rejected the argument that appeals filed by the Benue State Government against the substantive judgment should automatically halt the garnishee proceedings.

The judge held that the mere existence of a pending appeal could not, on its own, stop the enforcement process.

The court identified account number 100722383870 as the Benue State Government FAAC/Treasury Single Account domiciled with UBA, noting that it had a balance of ₦2.09 billion as of November 18, 2025, when the Garnishee Order Nisi was served on the bank.

The court further observed that subsequent Federation Account Allocation Committee allocations paid into the account were covered by the order to the extent necessary to satisfy the judgment debt.

In reaching its decision, the court also cited the Court of Appeal’s ruling in Dangote Cement Plc v. Ekeson Salins Oil & Gas Ltd & Ors (2024) LPELR-62744(CA) on the principles governing garnishee proceedings.

However, the court documents available do not establish whether UBA subsequently paid the judgment sum, whether the order was stayed or overturned, or whether the debt has since been settled.

Mauritz Walton Nigeria Limited has alleged that UBA failed to comply with the payment directive and has consequently commenced contempt proceedings against senior executives of the bank.

The company is also said to have filed applications seeking the attachment of UBA’s headquarters and other branches in Abuja as part of efforts to recover the judgment debt.

Speaking on the development, the Group Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Mauritz Walton Nigeria Limited, Dr Maurice Ibe, said the company had run out of patience after years of trying to secure compliance through the courts.

He said the company’s lawyers had been instructed to pursue the committal of responsible UBA executives and explore other lawful measures to enforce the judgment.

Ibe further disclosed that legal representatives had been briefed in the United Kingdom and the United States to examine possible action against UBA’s assets and properties in both countries.

According to him, the company also plans to petition relevant regulatory authorities over the bank’s alleged conduct.

The businessman further accused UBA of frustrating the enforcement of an earlier judgment obtained by Mauritz Walton in December 2021 against the Ebonyi State Government involving $30 million and ₦20 billion. The allegation has not been independently established.

Ibe questioned how foreign investors could retain confidence in Nigeria’s business environment if court judgments were allegedly disregarded by major financial institutions.

He insisted that Mauritz Walton would pursue all available legal avenues until the judgment debt was recovered.

The unfolding dispute has renewed attention on the responsibilities of banks acting as garnishees, the enforcement of court judgments and the potential consequences of alleged disobedience to judicial orders.

UBA’s response to the allegations, including the reported police visits and claims of non-compliance with the court’s directive, was not available at the time of filing this report.