The Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed an appeal by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) seeking to block the payment of N63.7million and $10,000 awarded against the Federal Government in favour of a German, Martin Gegenheimer, for his unlawful arrest and detention by men of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS).
 
A three-member panel of the appellate court, in a unanimous judgment on May 23, held that the appeal by the CBN was devoid of any scintilla of merit.
 
In the lead judgment, Justice Hamman Barka resolved the two issues identified for determination against the CBN in favour of the first respondent, Gegenheimer.

The Appeal Court proceeded to affirm the February 22, 2024, ruling by Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, ordering the CBN to pay Gegenheimer the N63.7m and $10,000 awarded against the Nigerian government in a 2021 judgment by the Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

The appellate court, in the judgment on the appeal marked: CA/ABJ/CV/434/2024, also awarded N300,000 cost against the appellant (the CBN), in favour of Gegenheimer for filing an unmeritorious appeal.

Justice Ekwo had, in the February 22, 2024, ruling, ordered the CBN to deduct the N63.7m and $10,000 from the FG’s funds in its custody to settle the debt that arose from a 2021 judgment given against Nigeria by the ECOWAS Court.