First Bank Files Stay Of Execution Against General Hydrocarbons As Obaigbena Allegedly Blackmails Judges, Threatens To Expose Corrupt Past
The decision is unexpected, as First Bank’s claim aimed to prevent further fraudulent sales of crude oil on the FPSO Tamara Tokoni.
The Federal High Court in Lagos has made a surprising ruling in the case between First Bank and General Hydrocarbons (GHL), a company the chairman of the Arise Television and ThisDay newspapers, Nduka Obaignena has interest in, declaring that the matter is a simple debt recovery case rather than a maritime claim.
The decision is unexpected, as First Bank’s claim aimed to prevent further fraudulent sales of crude oil on the FPSO Tamara Tokoni.
However, in a shocking turn of events, the court also stated that the arrest order against the cargo had expired after 14 days due to its ex parte nature.
Meanwhile, First Bank has lodged an appeal against the decision and filed an application for an injunction against GHL pending the appeal’s determination.
Despite the ruling, the cargoes of crude oil on the FPSO Tamara Tokoni remain under arrest.
First Bank expressed strong disagreement with the decision, calling it a miscarriage of justice, and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting its members’ interests and pursuing justice against debtors attempting to evade their obligations.
Meanwhile, the decision of the court has been alleged to be influenced by Obaigbena’s blackmails of High Court judges over the frozen accounts and seized vessel.
Mr Jackson Ude, the publisher of an online news platform – Point Blank News, who revealed the development said that Obaigbena has been calling the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Terhemba Tsoho, threatening to expose him and his corrupt practices unless he influences the judge handling his case and reverses the judgement.
According to Ude, the Chief Judge would then call judges handling his several cases to grant Obaigbena favourable judgments.
Although SaharaReporters could not independently ascertain.the various claims made by Ude, the decision of Federal High Court decision declaring that the matter he has with First Bank is a simple debt recovery case rather than a maritime claim points to the direction.
According to Ude, “Thisday Newspaper and Arise Tv owner, Nduka Obaignena has been blackmailing High Court Judges in an attempt to unfreeze all accounts linked to him that have remained frozen and the seized vessel, following a court order.
“It will be recalled that First Bank on 30th December 2024 obtained injunctions against Obaigbena and his family, freezing all his account and stopping him from using monies due to First Bank to satisfy his flamboyant lifestyle.
“A broke Obaigbena has now started blackmailing judges, threatening them with exposure of their corrupt dealings should his accounts remain frozen or continue to lose his several court cases.
“Of particular interests to him is the Court ordered seizure of TAMARA TOKONI (IMO: 8302131), a Floating Storage/Production Vessel.
“He has been calling the chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Terhemba Tsoho, threatening to expose him and his corrupt practices. The Chief Judge would then call Judges handling his several cases to grant Obaigbena favourable judgments.
“Aside blackmailing judges, Obaigbena is compelling Bank and business owners to purchase a table for up to N200million for the Women Award scheduled to hold on 31st of March 2025.
“According to an insider, any business owner who fails to purchase a table, is not only blacklisted but given bad publicity using his media outlets.”
