Attorneys lament non-payment of judgment debts

Attorneys involved in several litigations won against federal government agencies over the years have appealed for the payment of judgment debts incurred by the government.

A statement issued by the Director of Legal Services, Centre for Civic Education, Barrister Agomuo Chimaobi on behalf of the lawyers said the unpaid judgment debts were affecting them economically, having used their personal resources to prosecute some of the cases on behalf of their clients.

Chimaobi said: “The debts are judgments which emanated from the Federal High Court of Nigeria, the Court of Appeal of Nigeria and the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

“Appropriations have been made from 2015- 2021 by the National Assembly of Nigeria to settle and pay these debts including issuing of promissory notes to beneficiaries. But the Office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice has repeatedly stated that monies meant for the payment of judgment debts owed by the Federal Government of Nigeria, was not released by the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

“This to us is apparently unconstitutional for the executive arm of government to continue neglecting judgments of the judicial arm of government, especially superior courts of records vested with the powers to adjudicate between individuals, organisations and all arms of government as stated in section 6(1) of the 1999 constitution (as amended).

“We urge the president to rise to the occasion and as a matter of urgent national importance, consider the common man, the citizens of Nigeria whose businesses and assets continue to diminish by the non-payment of judgment debts owed since 2015.”