A Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun State, on Wednesday ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to explain why it should not release a N100.1 million judgment debt owed to the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) and its chairman, Hashim Abioye.
The case, marked FHC/OS/CS/41/2025, was filed by OSSIEC through an ex parte motion dated January 12, 2026, and argued by its counsel, I.T. Tewogbade. The applicants are seeking enforcement of an earlier judgment that awarded them damages against the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies.
Other respondents in the suit include the Inspector-General of Police, the Nigeria Police Force, the Police Service Commission, the Osun State Commissioner of Police, and the Central Bank of Nigeria, which is named as the garnishee.
Justice Adefunmilola Demi-Ajayi had, on November 17, 2025, awarded N100 million in damages and N100,000 in costs against the police authorities for actions taken to stop the February 22, 2025, local government elections in Osun State. The court ruled that the sealing of OSSIEC offices and the arrest of its staff were unlawful and not backed by any legal justification.
At Wednesday’s proceedings, OSSIEC’s counsel urged the court to issue an order nisi to compel the CBN to show cause why funds belonging to the judgment debtors—held in accounts including the federal government’s Treasury Single Account—should not be used to satisfy the judgment debt.
After hearing the motion, Justice Demi-Ajayi granted the request, ordering the garnishee to show cause as prayed.
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