Following a court order, the Kogi State government has paid a debt of N172,619,898.44 owed to road construction firm Trans Engineering Nigeria Limited. The firm’s counsel, Barrister Kennedy Enemmo, informed Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, during proceedings in suit no: FHC/ABJ/CS/1148/2022, that the government has fully settled the accrued debt as directed by the court on August 4, 2022.
Trans Engineering Nigeria Limited had sued the Kogi State Governor, the Attorney General of Kogi State, and the Ministry of Works and Housing over unfinished business with the state government. The company also named the Central Bank of Nigeria and four commercial banks in the suit.
Having been paid the outstanding debt, the firm requested the court to vacate its previous orders against the government. The order, which Enemmo asked the judge to vacate, had attached funds accruing to the Kogi State government to satisfy the court’s judgment.
Enemmo informed the court that he had the consent and authority of his client to seek the vacation of the order, stating that there was no further need to freeze the bank accounts of the judgment debtors.
The legal team representing the commercial banks did not object to the request, leading Justice Lifu to subsequently vacate the orders.
The background of the case reveals that Trans Engineering Nigeria Limited was contracted by the Kogi State government for construction works in 2013. Disputes arose over payment terms, leading the firm to seek legal redress. The Court of Appeal in Abuja delivered a judgment on March 25, 2015, ordering the state government to pay the sum of N322,619,898 to the firm. While part of the amount was paid between 2018 and 2019, the remaining balance led to the recent legal proceedings.
