Former
Water Resources Minister and former President of the Newspapers Proprietors
Association of Nigeria (NPAN) Alhaji Ismaila Isa Funtua has sued one of
his bankers, Unity Bank Plc, for allegedly defaming him, The Nation reports.
In
the suit filed with his company, Bulet International Nigeria Limited, before
the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, the plaintiffs
accused the bank, among others, of publishing false information about them.
They
stated in a supporting affidavit that the bank in 2013, initiated a debt
recovery proceeding against Bulet International before the FCT High Court.
The
suit was dismissed on February 24, 2014 for lack of reasonable cause of action.
The plaintiffs said before the suit was dismissed, Unity Bank, acting through its
lawyer, I. H. Yamah allegedly wrote to Bulets’ tenants and clients ,
including the Federal Ministry of Finance, CBN, Australian and American
embassies as well as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, conveying an auction sale
notice.
The
notice threatened to sell the property being occupied by the tenants.
Unity
Bank was said to have alleged in the letters that the plaintiffs
owed it N6.856 billion and that the bank was in possession of
perfected legal mortgage over the landed property occupied by the tenants.
The
bank allegedly warned them not to have any commitments to their landlord.
The
plaintiffs stated that the bank sued them again this year and that they have
challenged the legality of the suit on the grounds that it failed to disclose
reasonable cause of action.
They
added that ruling had been fixed for February 2015.
The
plaintiffs further stated that while parties awaiting the ruling fixed for February,
the bank proceeded to publish public notices and articles in numerous
newspapers as well as on its Internet outlets specifically addressed to the
CBN, containing list of its alleged debtors. One of the plaintiffs, Bulet, was
allegedly listed.
According
to the plaintiffs, the letters, newspaper reports and public notices by the
bank meant that the plaintiffs are bankrupt and irresponsible and took bank
credit with intent to defraud the bank.
The
plaintiffs said the letters and public notices were understood by the public
that Unity Bank gave them N6.8 billion credit facilities and was in custody of
perfected mortgage instruments, which exposed the plaintiffs’ tenants to
auction sale of their home and offices.
They denied that the bank
granted them N6.8b loan, describing the allegation by the bank as baseless and
an attempt to damage their reputation.
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