The management of Guaranty Trust Bank Limited (GT Bank) has said it will take all legal steps to address enforcement of an Appeal Court, Ibadan, judgement against one of its branches in Anambra State by Innoson Motors Nigeria Limited, last weekend.
The bank said it is going to ensure that “no illegal or fraudulent execution is carried out” against it.
The bank also said also said it remains committed to providing “best-in-class customer experience” to its customer base.
A statement signed by the Company Secretary, Erhi Obebeduo, at the weekend, said the judgement in question was in respect of a garnishee proceedings against the account of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) board domiciled in the bank, and not against GT Bank as an entity.
The bank said: “The attention of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc (the Bank) has been drawn to the statement circulating in the news and social media in recent of the purported enforcement of a judgement of the Federal High court Ibadan , Oyo State, at one of its branches in Anambra State.
“The bank, as a law-abiding citizen is taking all necessary steps to address the situation and ensure that no illegal or fraudulent execution is carried out.
“It is important to state that the judgement allegedly in issue is in respect of Garnishee Proceedings against the account of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) Board domiciled at the Bank and not against the Bank as an entity.
“The Bank remains committed to providing best-in-class customer experience to all its valued customers.”
Innoson had, last Friday, obtained a judgement from the Appeal Court in Ibadan to recover it’s N8.8 billion and had, as at the weekend, sealed seven GT branches in Nnewi, two in Onitsha, two in Awka and two in Enugu and has vowed to also seal the GT Bank Head office.
In its reaction to the bank’s statement, Innosson said the court order it got was against GTBank and not any organisation or person as claimed by the bank.
In a statement by Innosson motors spokesperson, Cornel Osigwe, which was made available to journalists in Awka, capital of Anambra State, yesterday, the company said the court order was made against GTBank and not anyone else, and added that it can only be enforced against the bank.
Osigwe was reacting to the statement credited to GTBank that the judgement Innosson motors was claiming was a judgement of account of the Nigerian Customs Service domiciled with the bank and not GTBank as an entity.
He stressed that the order would be executed against GTBank only.