Court orders Benue to pay Orbunde, Zam, Abua, others N57m

From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi

A Makurdi Senior District Court 1 presided over by Kevin Mbanongun Esq. has ordered the Benue State Government to pay about N57 million to Mr. Terwase Orbunde, former Chief of Staff to the Governor of Benue State, and 13 others as judgment creditors.

The judge ordered the operational Manager of Fidelity Bank Plc on Wednesday, 5 November 2025, while ruling on garnishee proceedings, to activate immediate compliance within five hours from the date of service.

Beneficiaries of the order include Senator Titus Zam, Simon Abua, Emmanuel Manger, Professor Jonathan Uever, Dr. Matthew Mnyam, Tahav Agerzua and Shimataver Aondoakaa.

Others are Barrister Merga Kachina, Shima Ayati, Stephen Tyochir, Tsenongo Abacha, James Uloko and Sam Unom.

The beneficiaries who served in various capacities during the immediate past Governor Samuel Ortom administration in Benue State sued for the payment of their severance gratuities as contained in their letters of appointment.

Counsel to the judgment creditors, Barrister Ocha Ulegede, filed the garnishee proceedings following the summary judgment delivered by the National Industrial Court in Makurdi on 13 December 2024, which had not been complied with.

One of the judgment creditors who was in court, Mr. Agerzua, described the order as justice well served and expressed appreciation to all those who made the order possible.

He said the court case was the last resort after concerted appeals to the appropriate authority to direct payment as the Ministry of Finance released the approved funds at the terminal point of the Ortom regime and most of those entitled were paid.

The court order was served on the bank at about 1 p.m., but it had yet to effect payment at the time of reporting.