The Osun State Government has filed an application before the Federal High Court in Lagos seeking to set aside an ex parte order restricting bank accounts operated by the state over a $13.9m arbitration award in favour of Gamji Nigeria Company Limited.
The government also said it had commenced the necessary legal steps to protect the state’s interests and challenge the validity of the arbitration award.
The interim order was issued by Justice D.E. Osiagor following an application by Gamji, through its counsel, Yunus AbdulSalam, SAN, in a suit marked FHC/L/CS/1233/2026.
Reacting to the development in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, the state government described the order as a product of “deceit and substantial non-disclosure of material facts to the court.”
It also alleged that the arbitration award being enforced was characterised by irregularities and was already being challenged before the Lagos State High Court.
According to the government, the contract dispute dated back to 2017 under the administration of former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola and followed a disagreement over Gamji’s request for a variation of the contract.
The state said the dispute eventually proceeded to arbitration, but alleged that the proceedings were “deliberately mismanaged and handled to favour Gamji Nig. Co. Ltd.” and denied the state fair hearing and full participation.
The government said its legal team filed a suit at the Lagos State High Court on September 1, 2026, seeking to set aside the arbitral award and also filed a motion on notice seeking to suspend its execution pending the determination of the case.
It added that the applications were served on Gamji and its counsel before the company approached the Federal High Court to enforce the award.
The government further alleged that Gamji failed to disclose to the Federal High Court that the award was already being challenged before the Lagos State High Court and that the company had been served with an application seeking to suspend its execution.
It also disputed the reference to a July 2024 arbitral award, saying, “there was no arbitral award made against the state government in July 2024.” It said the only arbitral award against the state was made in July 2026 and was currently being challenged.
The state government said its motion seeking to set aside the September 9 order had been presented before the Federal High Court and that the alleged non-disclosure by Gamji had been brought to the court’s attention.
It added that since the matter was sub judice, it would refrain from making further comments on the merits of the case.