Court warns NICON Insurance against ‘forum shopping’

A Federal High Court, Lagos, yesterday, cautioned NICON Insurance Limited against “forum shopping.”

Justice Tijjani Ringim issued the warning after the firm discontinued two similar suits it filed against the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).

The judge upheld the submission of the defence’s counsel, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), that both suits marked FHC/L/CS/1116/2021 and FHC/L/CS/1115/2021 were identical with a third suit numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/760/2021.

Pinheiro contended that the plaintiff had been embarking on “forum shopping” in filing two suits within two weeks and withdrawing same.

The cases were FHC/L/CS/1051/21 and FHC/L/CS/1052/21, both filed at the court.

He prayed the court to “stop this attitude” by dismissing the suit and awarding punitive costs to serve as deterrent to others.

But the plaintiff’s counsel, Adenrele Adegorioye, opposed, praying the court to grant his application for outright withdrawal on the ground that his client still had time to intimate the move under the rules of court.

Justice Ringim, in a bench ruling, struck out the matter, but with a warning.