Bayelsa Court Adjourns ₦68bn Maize Farmers vs. Ecobank Case to Oct. 21

Yenagoa, Bayelsa State (Nigeria): State High Court 14 in Yenagoa adjourned the case between Maize Growers Processors and Marketers, Association of Nigeria (MAGPMAN), Bayelsa Chapter, and Ecobank Plc to October 21, 2025.

The farmers had alleged that the Bank made unauthorised withdrawals from their accounts, leading to financial losses for them.

The farmers are seeking redress for the alleged financial malfeasance.

The aggrieved farmers are seeking legal redress from Ecobank over the Bank’s unsatisfactory handling of their accounts, which exposed them to avoidable risks and losses.

When the case came up for pretrial hearing, the claimant’s counsel, Seimiekumo Avery, told the court that the case was for pre-hearing and presentation of witnesses, adding that they had a motion to call additional witnesses.

He stated that the motion, filed on September 29, 2025, seeks the court’s approval to call three additional witnesses, with details provided in the motion paper.

The court presided over by Justice Amaebi Orukari ruled that the claimants should amend their motion before pretrial commences.

The judge thereafter adjourned the case until October 21, 2025.

According to the court summons document sighted by reporters, the farmers’ accounts domiciled with the Bank on the Anchor Borrower Programme of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)were run in breach of the CBN’s rules for the scheme.

The maize farmers are seeking a cumulative general and punitive damage of N68 billion.

MAGPMAN Bayelsa state chapter, in their grievance before the court, lamented that the alleged fraud perpetrated by the commercial Bank has left them with no choice but to seek redress, as the Bank (Ecobank) refuses to listen to them in a manner that would resolve the issue.

Under the scheme, each of the 894 group members will receive N182,461.02 and is expected to repay N198,862.04 at the end of the loan tenor. However, Ecobank is currently deducting N400,000, N300,000, and N205,000 from the poor farmers.