The Chairman/ Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa (retd.), and the Director of Prosecution and Legal Services, may be sent to prison by the Federal High Court of Abuja via a Judgment Summons, for failing to pay one million, five hundred thousand Naira (N1,500,000.00) judgment sum to an Applicant!
The Federal High Court coram, Honourable Justice F.O.G. Ogunbanjo had on 2nd November, 2018, awarded the sum of N200, 000, against NDLEA for its violation of an applicant’s fundamental rights by unlawfully detaining him for 54 days.
Counsel to the Applicant Mr. Hameed Ajibola Jimoh had appealed the said award of damages as being too low to the Court of Appeal of Nigeria, Abuja.
The Court of Appeal on 8th February, 2022, set aside the said award of N200,000, as being too low and increased same to N1,500,000.00 (one million, five hundred thousand naira only).
This judgment summons is a means of enforcing the said judgment since the judgment sum has remained wholly unsatisfied, pursuant to Part IV of the Sheriffs and Civil Process Act, 2004, especially, sections: 55, 56, 57, etc. Of the Act.
The Gen. Marwa and the Prosecution and Legal Services Director risk being sent to prison by the court, for failing to pay the said judgment sum!
The Judgment Summons has been served on the defendants by the Bailiff of the Court on (Friday) the 3rd day of February, 2023.
The Judgment Summons has been slated for hearing on the 17th February, 2023, before Honourable Justice Obiora Egwuatu of Court No. 9, of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Abuja.