By Peter OBIORA InvestAdvocate

Lagos (INVESTADVOCATE)-One of the Plaintiffs and shareholder challenging the revocation of licenses of three Nationalised Banks, Afribank Plc, Bank PHB Plc and Spring Bank Plc, Boniface Okezie, National Chairman of the Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria (PSAN) has said that the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigerian deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) debunking of the Court Order from a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos restraining the three Banks from operation is a hoax.

Okezie confirmed to www.investadvocateng.com that as at Thursday morning, a Sheriff and a Bailiff has been dispatched by the Court to serve the CBN and NDIC the Court Order and a Form 48 attached for Contempt of Court.

As I speak with you this morning, a Court Sheriff and Bailiff have served both the CBN and NDIC the Court Order in question with a Form 48 in the event of Contempt of Court” Okezie said.

A Copy of the Court Order with Suite Number FHC/L/CS/1239/11 signed by Charles Archibong Judge and obtained by www.investadvocateng.com reads thus: UPON THIS MOTION EXPARTE dated and filed on the 12^th day of October, 2011, praying for:

1. 1.An Order restraining the 1^st -6^th Defendants from further dealing in the assets, businesses and their subsidiaries which are purported to have been transferred to the 1^st -3^rd Defendants or carrying on or in any manner offering for sale to any persons any part of such assets businesses and operations pending the determination of the Motion on Notice.
2. 2.And for such Order or further Orders as the Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstances.

UPON READING the Affidavit in Support of the Motion papers Written Address and exhibit attached dated the 21^st day of October, 2011 and filed in the Federal High Court Registry and sworn to by Kingsley Isicheli, Male, Nigerian, Christian Faith and Legal Practitioner in the Chamber of Indemnity Partners of N0.46, Marina, Lagos.

AFTER HEARING Chuck Nwachuku Esq. Counsel for the Plantiff/Applicant move in terms of the application.

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that the 1^st to 6^th Defendants are hereby restrained from further dealing in the assets businesses and operations of the 9^th-11^th Defendants and their subsidiaries which are purported to have been transferred to the 1^st -3^rd Defendants or carrying on or in any manner offering for sale to any person and part of such assets businesses and operations pending the determination of the Motion on Notice.

ISSUED AT LAGOS under the Seal of the Court and the Hand of the Presiding Judge this 14^th day of October, 2011. Signed by G.N. Anyanwu Registrar.

It is worthy of note that the 1^st-6^th defendants are:

1. 1.MAINSTREET BANK LIMITED
2. 2.KEYSTONE BANK LIMITED
3. 3.ENTERPRISE BANK LIMITED
4. 4.CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA
5. 5.NIGERIA DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION
6. 6.ASSETS MANAGEMENT CORPORATION OF NIGERIA

While 9^th -11^th Defendants are:

9. AFRIBANK PLC

10. BANK PHB PLC

11. SPRING BANK PLC

This is coming on the heels of a Joint Press Statement issued Wednesday by the CBN and NDIC that they are not aware of the Court Order restraining Keystone Bank Limited, Enterprise Bank Limited, and Mainstreet Bank Limited from continuing operation and also restraining the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation from taking certain steps in relation to the said banks.

“The CBN and the NDIC state categorically and with all sense of responsibility that we are not aware of any such order as no such order has been served on either the CBN or the NDIC Consequently, both the CBN and the NDIC wish to inform the general public that Keystone Bank Limited, Mainstreet Bank Limited and Enterprise Bank Limited are Banks duly licensed by the CBN and are thus authorised to carry on banking business” the Joint Statement said.

www.investadvocateng.com on Thursday contacted on phone Mohammed Abdullahi Head, Corporate Communications of Nigeria’s Central Bank who said that they are not aware of any Court Order in relation to the above and still insist on it.

“I can tell you and you can quote me , we are yet to get any Court Order to this effect until this time I am speaking to you and we still standard on the Joint Press Statement that the CBN and NDIC issued Wednesday Sept 16, 2011” Abdullahi said.

On Friday August 05 2011, the Federal Government (FG) through the NDIC and Nigeria’s Central Bank revoked the licenses of Afribank Plc, BankPHB Plc and Spring Bank Plc and thus nationalising them and creating three Bridge Banks namely Mainstreet Bank , Keystone Bank and Enterprise Banks.