The Federal High Court in Kaduna has ordered 21 banks in the country to freeze all accounts belonging to a company, Ronchess Global Resources Ltd.
Justice Hauwa Buhari who granted the exparte order also ordered the banks to depose to a verifying affidavit confirming compliance with the Order, pending the complete takeover of possession and control of the company’s assets by the duly appointed receiver manager, Yunus Abdulsalam (SAN).
The affected banks are First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Access Bank Plc, Citibank Nigeria Ltd, Eco Bank Nigeria Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc and First City Monument Bank.
The others are Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Polaris Bank Ltd, Providus Bank, Stanbic Ibtc Bank Plc, Standard Chartered Bank Ltd, Sterling Bank Plc, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, United Bank of Africa Plc, Unity Bank Plc, Wema Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Globus Bank Ltd, Heritage Banking Company Ltd, Suntrust Bank Nigeria Ltd and Titan Trust Bank Ltd.
The court also ordered the Inspector General of Police, Assistant Inspectors General of Police, all Commissioners of Police in any judicial divisions of the Court including the Commissioner of Police in charge of Kaduna State, his Deputy and all other police officers under them and all the Sheriffs of the court in any judicial division, to assist the Receiver/Manager in the enforcement of the orders of the Court.
Rochess Global Resources has also been restrained whether acting by themselves or through their officers, agents or legal representatives from challenging, interfering with or otherwise obstructing or frustrating the Receiver/Manager appointed by the first applicant, Keystone Bank over all of its assets of the lying in any part of Nigeria, including the assets lying and situated at 3 Bank Road, Kaduna, Kaduna State.
The court made the orders at the instance of Keystone Bank and the Receiver/Manager following an application they filed on Feb. 25, 2025 and brought pursuant to Section 553, 554, 555 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2020, Order 26, Rules 2, 7(2) and (3), 8, 9, Order 28 Rules 1(1) and (2), and 2(1) (2) (3) (4) (5), Order 40, Rules 1 (1) (2) (3) (4) of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2019 and under the Inherent Jurisdiction of the Court.
In granting the order, the court also directed the appointed Receiver/Manager under the duly executed Debenture Deed, to take possession, control, and management of all assets of Ronchess Global Resources secured as fixed and floating charges for the loan facility granted by the first applicant, Keystone Bank.
In Jan. 2022, Keystone bank had granted a N500m Naira loan to the respondent which the company allegedly defaulted on. The loan was enhanced to N1 Billion Naira in May 2022.
By the order, the Receiver/Manager is further empowered to do all such things in exercise of his statutory powers under the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2020 as may be necessary to preserve, protect, and manage all the assets of the Respondent lying ni any part of Nigeria, including the assets lying and situate at 3, Bank Road, Kaduna, Kaduna State, with a view to realizing the outstanding debt owed by the Ronchess Global Resources to Keystone Bank.
The court also compelled the company to deliver to the Applicants, the Receiver Manager and the bank, a detailed report of its statement of affairs to be supported by a verifying affidavit, within 14 days of the order.