The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso, and the bank’s Director of Legal Services, Kofo Salam-Alada, are facing contempt proceedings for allegedly failing to comply fully with a Supreme Court judgment.
The case pertains to the release of funds previously forfeited in a legal dispute involving Melrose General Services Limited, a firm tied to the controversial Paris Club refund.
A Federal High Court judge in Abuja, Inyang Ekwo, has scheduled June 4, 2025, to hear the application filed by Melrose General Services Limited.
Naijaonpoint reports that the company is seeking to hold Cardoso, Salam-Alada, the EFCC, and the Minister of Finance in contempt for failing to fully comply with the court’s order.
Melrose General Services is one of the firms involved in the Paris Club refund settlement. The company had been linked to the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), which engaged consultants to secure reimbursements from the federal government.
In June 2024, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of Melrose, overturning the interim forfeiture of ₦1.22 billion and ₦220 million, which had been frozen after an investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The apex court stated that the EFCC had failed to prove that the funds were proceeds of fraud.
The court ordered the release of ₦1,222,384,857.84 held in Melrose’s bank account, as well as the ₦220 million paid by the company to Wasp Networks and Thebe Wellness as a loan and investment.
Despite the Supreme Court’s ruling, Melrose claims that only ₦1.22 billion has been refunded, while ₦220 million remains unpaid. As a result, the company, through its counsel, Chikaosolu Ojukwu, filed a contempt suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/532/2025, targeting Cardoso, Salam-Alada, the EFCC, and the Minister of Finance.
Ojukwu argued that the defendants’ failure to comply with the judgment fully constitutes contempt of court.
Court Grants Permission To Serve Contempt Notices
On March 27, 2025, Judge Ekwo permitted Melrose to serve contempt notices (Forms 48 and 49) on Cardoso and Salam-Alada, ordering all parties to respond within seven days.
During the April 10, 2025, hearing, Melrose’s representative, Segun Fiki, confirmed that all parties, except the Ministry of Finance, had responded.
In response to the contempt application, Abdulfatai Oyedele, counsel for the CBN, filed a preliminary objection and counter-affidavit. Oyedele argued that the Supreme Court did not order the ₦220 million to be paid directly to Melrose but to the original recipients—Wasp Network Limited and Thebe Wellness Services.
Oyedele further explained that solicitors for Wasp Network had requested the payment of ₦200 million, while Thebe Wellness had yet to claim their ₦20 million share. He maintained that the CBN had complied with the Supreme Court’s judgment and committed no wrongdoing.
Meanwhile, M.A. Babatunde, counsel for the EFCC, filed a motion for misjoinder, contending that the agency should not be a party to the contempt suit.