By Yemi Oyeyemi, Abuja
An Abuja Chief Magistrate Court has ordered the remand of Mr. Ridwan Abdulwahab, Head of Legal Department (Northern Region) at ECO Bank, in Kuje Correctional Centre over allegations of perjury and defamation of a High Court judge.
The embattled banker and legal practitioner was arraigned on Thursday by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) before Chief Magistrate Musa Sadiq. He is facing charges of giving false evidence under oath and attempting to damage the reputation of Justice Charles Agbaza of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
According to the First Information Report (FIR), Mr. Abdulwahab allegedly deposed to a false affidavit claiming that a writ of execution used in a garnishee proceeding against Eco Bank was unsigned by Justice Agbaza. The garnishee order, which stemmed from a long-standing legal battle, had compelled the bank to release N228.4 million to Vision Kam Jay, a Nigerian company that secured a judgment debt against the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Despite complying with the payment in 2020, Eco Bank reportedly placed a “Post No Debit” (PND) restriction on the judgment creditor’s account, effectively blocking access to the funds.
Following a direct complaint by the affected company, the matter was referred to the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Zone 7, for investigation. The AIG’s findings confirmed that the writ of execution was properly signed by Justice Agbaza, contrary to the claim made by Abdulwahab in his sworn affidavit.
The prosecution alleged that Abdulwahab’s affidavit was a calculated attempt to obstruct justice and shield ECOWAS from its financial obligation. He was subsequently charged under sections 158 and 392 of the Penal Code for perjury.
When the charge was read in court, Abdulwahab pleaded not guilty. His lawyer, Mr. Kalat Jatu, made an unsuccessful attempt to quash the arraignment, arguing that the FIR was defective. Magistrate Musa Sadiq, however, dismissed the objection, citing Section 396 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), which does not support such procedural claims at the arraignment stage.
The defense also applied for bail, but the request was strongly opposed by the prosecution, led by Mr. Bale Nimnan, who argued that the accused was initially reluctant to honor police invitations.
In a brief ruling, Magistrate Sadiq denied the oral bail application and directed that a formal application be filed in writing and served on the prosecution in accordance with legal procedure.
Abdulwahab was ordered to be remanded at Kuje prison pending determination of his bail application.
