Federal High Court Orders CBN To Halt Allocations To Rivers State Until Proper Budget Approval

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an order preventing the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from releasing further financial allocations to the Rivers State Government until a lawful appropriation act is passed by a duly constituted House of Assembly.

In the ruling delivered on Wednesday, October 30, Justice Abdulmalik responded to a suit filed by the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Martins Amaewhule. The judge stated that the 2024 Appropriation Bill presented by Governor Siminalayi Fubara to a four-member Assembly—without proper legislative constitution—cannot stand.

Rivers State has recently faced political tensions between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.