“Legal Threats to Banks: Former Edo AG Issues Warning Over Local Government Accounts”

Following the impeachment of 18 local government chairmen by their respective legislative arms, the solicitors representing the embattled chairmen have issued a stern warning to commercial banks, cautioning them not to interfere with the councils’ official accounts.

Oluwole Osazee Uzzi, the former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Edo State, delivered the warning on behalf of the 18 impeached chairmen. His law firm, Uzzi Law Company, sent a formal notice to all banks across the country, urging them to refrain from engaging with unauthorized individuals or groups attempting to access or manage the councils’ funds.

The warning stems from the purported suspension of the democratically elected local government officials by the Edo State House of Assembly in 2024. Uzzi emphasized that banks which process transactions for unauthorized parties could face severe legal consequences, including contempt of court, violations of court orders, and disregard for injunctions issued by both the Supreme Court and the Edo State High Court.

“The implications of ignoring this warning are severe,” Uzzi stated, underlining that banks must obtain explicit written authorization from the elected chairmen before engaging with any of the councils’ accounts. “Banks that fail to adhere to this directive risk facing legal action, damaging their reputation, and harming their relationship with the local government councils.”

Uzzi further urged financial institutions to exercise caution, meticulously verifying the authenticity of any transactions linked to the 18 local governments to ensure they are authorized by the rightful leaders.