IGP Vs Moniepoint: Nasarawa High Court Orders Police to Arrest Any Lawyer that seeks to Vacate Exparte PND Order
A High Court of Nasarawa State, sitting in Keffi, has ordered the arrest of any lawyer who seeks to vacate a Post-No-Debit (PND) order it issued in the case of IGP Vs Moniepoint Microfinance Bank and 93 Others, Suit No. NSD/KM1/2026.
The order, made by Justice A.A. Ozegya, directs the police to apprehend any person, including a legal practitioner, who approaches the relevant authorities with an order seeking to lift the PND restriction without the consent of the police authority.
The directive is contained in an enrolled order of the court, which also imposes restrictions on the bank accounts of the 35th to 94th Respondents in the suit.
The relevant portion of the enrolled order reads:
“IT IS HEREBY ORDERED AS FOLLOWS:
That the 1st-34th Respondents are to permit inspections of Account details of the 35- 94th Respondents, Provide Opening Package/Mandate Card, Statement of Accounts from 1st January 2024 till date, Bank Verification Number (BVN) page linked to the accounts, certificate of compliance in accordance with section 84 of Evidence Act 2011, Place Post No Debit (PND) on the accounts, deactivate all internet/electronic bank facilities, The PND shouldn’t be lifted if the suspect has not report to the police and arrest any persons who come with lift order without police permission, Any person or persons either lawyer that comes for lifting without the consent of the authority should be apprehended, arrest account holders upon sight in any transaction……”
The order consequently directs the affected financial institutions to place Post-No-Debit restrictions on the accounts of the 35th to 94th Respondents, deactivate their internet and electronic banking facilities and provide specified account-related information to the authorities.
It further provides that the PND restrictions are not to be lifted unless the affected suspects report to the police. It also directs the arrest of persons, including lawyers, who present orders for the lifting of the restrictions without police permission.
The order was made ex parte, meaning that the affected parties were not heard before the court granted the application.
The case, involving the Inspector-General of Police, Moniepoint Microfinance Bank and 93 others, is before Justice Ozegya of the Nasarawa State High Court in Keffi.
The enrolled order also requires the arrest of affected account holders upon sighting them in any transaction, in addition to the restrictions imposed on their accounts.
The development is contained in the court’s enrolled order in Suit No. NSD/KM1/2026.
