A District Court sitting in Makurdi, Benue State, has ordered two commercial banks to pay over ₦4.8 billion belonging to the Nasarawa State Government to a group of retirees as outstanding gratuities and accrued interest.
Presiding Judge, Justice Kevin Mbanongun, issued the order while ruling on the matter in Makurdi.
The retirees, numbering about 600 and operating under the aegis of The Concerned Group of Pensioners Nasarawa State, had earlier entered into a consent judgment with the Nasarawa State Government for phased payment of their gratuities.
However, following what they described as a breach of that agreement, the pensioners approached the National Industrial Court in Makurdi in 2024, seeking enforcement and interest on the delayed payments.
On April 11, 2024, the National Industrial Court ordered the Nasarawa State Government to pay the retirees over ₦2.9 billion in interest, along with an additional over ₦1.5 billion as the balance of their gratuities.
After the state government failed to comply with the court order, the pensioners’ counsel, Mr. Sunday Okpalle, approached a Magistrate Court in Makurdi and, on July 11, 2025, secured a garnishee order to freeze the state’s accounts in fourteen commercial banks.
This marks the sixth such legal action since the beginning of Governor Abdullahi Sule’s administration in 2019 highlighting ongoing litigation over unpaid entitlements.
During the proceedings, Mr. Okpalle cited Section 287 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and other legal authorities to justify the enforcement of the National Industrial Court’s ruling through the lower court.
However, Counsel to the Nasarawa State Government, Mr. Umar Aliyu, contested the application on jurisdictional grounds, arguing that there was no legal basis for the enforcement of interest payments.
After hearing all parties, including representatives from the fourteen commercial banks, Justice Mbanongun dismissed the state government’s submission, describing it as the interference of “meddlesome interlopers” who lacked standing in garnishee proceedings.
The court subsequently discharged twelve of the banks and directed the remaining two to release over ₦4.8 billion to the account of Mr. Okpalle for disbursement to the retirees.
Justice Mbanongun warned that any attempt by the state government to obstruct the enforcement would constitute a violation of the court’s order.
In an interview, Mr. Okpalle described the judgment as a major relief for the affected retirees, many of whom are reportedly bedridden due to lack of funds for basic healthcare.
“If the Nasarawa State Government had honoured the consent judgment, these retirees would have been fully paid by 2024. But payments were made at will, without regard for the suffering of these elderly citizens,” he said.
“We had no choice but to return to court, which has now ordered the banks to release the funds. The banks have confirmed availability of the funds and we are waiting for the disbursement.”
Reacting to the ruling, the Nasarawa State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Isaac Danladi, said the government would challenge the court’s decision.
“We are dissatisfied with the ruling and will file an application for a stay of execution,” he stated.
Some of the retirees described the court’s decision as a long-awaited victory, commending their legal team for its persistence. They also called on the state government to develop a more transparent and humane system for handling pension and gratuity payments. (Radio Nigeria)
