United Bank for Africa (UBA) is facing a fresh legal challenge involving a ₦7.4 billion claim, with its Group Managing Director, Oliver Alawuba, and other senior executives reportedly at risk of contempt proceedings.

The dispute stems from a December 4, 2025 ruling by Justice Bello Kawu of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, which made absolute a garnishee order directing UBA to remit ₦7,448,113,025.42 to Bizplus Consulting Services Limited and Mauritz Walton Limited.

The two companies had initiated garnishee proceedings against the Benue State Government and its Attorney-General, seeking to recover the judgment debt from funds belonging to the state government and held by financial institutions.

The proceedings initially involved 22 garnishees, including 20 commercial banks, the Minister of Finance and the Accountant-General of the Federation.

The court discharged the other garnishees, leaving UBA as the only institution against which the payment order was made absolute.

It identified the Benue State Government’s Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) and Treasury Single Account, domiciled with UBA, as the accounts from which the judgment debt could be recovered.

According to the ruling, the account had a balance of ₦2.09 billion as of November 18, 2025, with subsequent allocations and inflows bringing the available funds to an amount sufficient to cover the judgment debt.

Justice Kawu directed the bank to pay the full amount within 24 hours of being served with the order.

The judge also ruled that the Benue State Government’s pending appeals and application for a stay of proceedings did not automatically prevent the garnishee proceedings from continuing.

The dispute has continued at the appellate level, with related appeals reportedly pending before the Court of Appeal in Abuja.

In a separate development, Bizplus alleged in an affidavit filed before the Federal High Court that an attempt to enforce the garnishee order at UBA on September 4, 2026, was halted after the bank cited a Court of Appeal directive requiring parties to maintain the status quo.

Despite the appellate proceedings, Mauritz Walton alleges that UBA has failed to comply with the payment directive and is pursuing contempt proceedings against Alawuba and other senior executives.

The judgment creditors are also reportedly seeking court approval to attach UBA’s headquarters and other branches in Abuja as part of efforts to recover the outstanding sum.

Speaking on the dispute, Maurice Ibe, Group Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Mauritz Walton Limited, said the company remained determined to pursue all available legal options.

He disclosed that the company’s lawyers were exploring enforcement measures in Nigeria, while legal teams in the United Kingdom and the United States had been briefed to examine possible avenues for attaching UBA’s assets in both jurisdictions.

Ibe also indicated that the company intended to report the bank’s alleged conduct to relevant regulatory authorities.

The development places the bank under renewed legal and reputational pressure as questions emerge over the enforcement of court judgments, the responsibilities of financial institutions acting as garnishees and the implications of ongoing appellate proceedings.