A Federal Capital Territory, Abuja High Court, issued an order for the closure of four bank accounts belonging to the Oyo State Government and its agencies over standing debts.

The order was issued by Justice A. O. Ebong while ruling on a motion ex-parte filed by the ex-chairpersons and councillors led by Bashorun Majeed, Bosun Ajuwon and Idris Okusesi.

The affected banks are First Bank, United Bank for Africa, Wema Bank and Zenith Bank.

Justice Ebong demand that the banks should bring cognitive evidence why the order should not be made absolute.

The ruling on the motion marked: FCT/HC/BW/M/238/2023, was delivered by the judge on 2nd March, 2023 with a certified true copy was made available on Sunday, 26th March, 2023 in Abuja.

The funds, according to court filings, are to settle the outstanding balance of N3,374,889,425.60 from the judgment debt owed some former local government chairpersons and councillors sacked on 29th May, 2019 before the end of their tenure by governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state.

Justice Eko said: “I will not conclude this appeal without commenting on the disturbing ugly face of impunity displayed by the Governor of Oyo State (1st respondent herein) on 29th May, 2019, tantamounting to executive lawlessness, outrightly and vehemently condemned by this court in the case of the Military Governor of Lagos State v. Ojukwu.”

He further reiterated the fact that, even before appealing the High Court judgment, Mr Makinde on May 29, 2019 “issued imperial directives dissolving all democratically elected local Government Councils in Oyo State in spite of the subsisting judgment of Oyo State High Court in the suit No.1/347/2017”.

This democratically unthinkable that governor would take up such stride that is democratically faulty with every possible result of endangering the uphold of rule of law and democracy.

“It is almost becoming universal phenomena that most democratically elected governors have resolved within themselves to only select individuals that are dangerous to democracy in this country.

“They disdainfully disregard and disrupt democratically elected Local Government Councils and appoint their lackeys as caretaker committees to run affairs of Local Governments,” Justice Eko said.