Justice Akintayo Aluko of the Federal High Court, in Ikoyi, Lagos, has ordered MTN Nigeria Communications Plc to appear before it and justify why a request to freeze its bank accounts and restrain it from managing its assets over an alleged ₦180.95 billion debt should not be granted.
The judge gave the order in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/1004/2025, filed by Access Bank Plc alongside three companies under receivership, Multi-links Telecommunications Limited, Capcom Telecoms Limited, and Cyancom Limited.
The applicants, represented by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr Kunle Ogunba, are seeking an interim injunction to bar MTN from withdrawing or tampering with funds in any of its Nigerian bank accounts, up to the alleged debt sum. The debt is reportedly owed to Multi-links.
In addition to freezing MTN’s accounts, the plaintiffs are asking the court to prevent the telecom giant from disposing of any of its assets, including shares, property, and cash, pending the outcome of the case.
They are also seeking an order compelling all Nigerian financial institutions to disclose the balances in MTN’s accounts within seven days of being served the court order.
Justice Aluko, while acknowledging that the plaintiffs had presented a strong case supported by affidavits and documentary evidence, declined to grant the orders outright.
He insisted that MTN must first be allowed to respond.
“The defendant/respondent shall appear in court at the next date to show cause why the orders sought should not be granted,” the judge ruled, citing the potentially significant implications of the reliefs requested.
To fast-track proceedings, the judge also abridged MTN’s deadline for filing a counter-affidavit from seven days to five.
The case has been adjourned to June 23, 2025, for MTN to show cause.
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