Court awards N30 Million damages against UBA, grants Tarakirivoice CEO, Passman Akpos victory in a lawsuit
By Paul Ebi
In a judgement that was delivered in the High Court of Bayelsa state Nigeria, in the Yenagoa Judicial Division on Thursday, the second of October 2025, with the law suit No. BYHC/YHC/CV/94/2025, the judge, Charlie Ebiyon Duke, awarded a 30,000,000.00 (thirty million Naira) damages against the Tony Elumelu’s United Bank of Africa, granted in favour of the CEO of Tarakirivoice Newspaper Enterprise, Mr Passman Akpos.
Recall, Tarakirivoice has reported that, The founder/CEO of Tarakirivoice Newspaper Enterprise, Passman Akpos, slammed Tony Elumelu’s United Bank of Africa (UBA) with N150million Law suit.
The Law suit with Suit Number BYHC/YHC/CV/94/2025 was filed on the 6th of March 2025 at the High Court of Bayelsa state of Nigeria, in the Yenagoa Judicial Division.
*The Judgement*
From the fact, evidence, and arguments of the parties before me I have distilled a lone issue for determination to wit:whether the claimant has proved his case to be entitled to the relief south
A glossary look at Exhibit C7 shows that Exhibit C6:was never set aside. However, the Defendant decided to rely on suit No FHC/YNG/CS/388/2024 Exhibit C2 a motion on notice served on her to continue the restriction on the claimant’s account. this is a clear violation of the claimant rights, breach of fiduciary duty and the Defendant did not act in good faith. per Onyemenam, J.C.A in FCMB PLC v. Coinage Global Service (2024) LPELR- 62670 (CA) (of. 37-38 Paras.A) clearly articulated the nature of the bank customer relationship:
The claimant is entitled to damages for the gross misconduct and inexplicable conduct of the Defendant. It is perplexing that the Defendant would choose to disregard a valid court order and instead act on a mere court process to maintain the restriction on the claimant’s account. such conduct cannot be condoned at the altar of justice. Accordingly, the prayers of the claimant are hereby granted as follows:
1. A declaration that the Defendant conduct/act of placing a restriction on the claimant’s Account Number 2055105538 -AKPOS PASSMAN without an order of court is unlawful, illegal and a violation of the Claimant’s fundamental rights.
2. A Declaration that Defendant refusal to allow the Claimant have access to his funds in account number: 2055105538-AKPOS PASSMAN during the period the Defendants placed a restriction on the said account constitutes a fundamental breach of contract that exists between the Claimant and the Defendant.
3. An order directing the Defendant to pay the Claimant the total sum of N20,000,000.00(Twenty million Naira) only as general damages for breach of the contract and violation of the claimant’s fundamental rights.
4. An order directing the Defendant to pay the Claimant the total sum of N5,000,000.00 (five million Naira) only as exemplary damages.
5. the sum of N5,000,000.00 (Five million Naira) only as the cost of this suit”
