Supreme Court Rules on Jurisdiction in Debt Recovery Case

On June 20, 2025, the Supreme Court of Nigeria addressed a case involving the Nigerian Agricultural Credit and Rural Development Bank Ltd as the appellant against Chief Austin Iwuhoa. The dispute arose from a landlord-tenant relationship concerning a property described as a block of flats located at No. 114.

The appellant alleged that the tenant vacated the premises without notice and left the property in a degraded state. After conducting repairs, the appellant sought a refund for renovation costs and outstanding rent.

The matter was initially brought to the High Court in Rivers State, which upheld a preliminary objection regarding its lack of territorial jurisdiction to hear the case, as the property was situated in Umuahia, Abia State. The trial court's decision was appealed, and the Court of Appeal disagreed with the trial court, asserting jurisdiction.

However, the Supreme Court ultimately ruled that the High Court of Rivers State did not have jurisdiction over the matter, leading to the case being remitted for reassignment to a different judge for expedited hearing.