The Federal Capital Territory High Court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by logistics company FHT Mega Express Limited against Parallex Bank Limited, in which the firm sought ₦7.1 billion in claims against the bank.
The High court upheld Parallex Bank’s preliminary objection, ruling that the case amounted to an abuse of court process and was therefore not maintainable.
FHT Mega Express had earlier secured an ex parte order to freeze the bank’s funds at the Central Bank of Nigeria up to the claimed amount. However, Parallex Bank challenged the order, arguing that the suit was improper, especially given an earlier case it had already filed in the Lagos High Court seeking recovery of the company’s outstanding debt.
In its ruling delivered on April 20, 2026, the High court agreed with the bank’s arguments, holding that the action constituted an abuse of judicial process. As a result, the suit was struck out in its entirety, with the court also awarding ₦500,000 in costs against FHT Mega Express in favour of Parallex Bank.
Background of the dispute
The conflict dates back to September 4, 2025, when Parallex Bank filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Lagos seeking recovery of about ₦4.5 billion owed by FHT Mega Express. The debt reportedly arose from Letters of Credit used to finance import transactions worth millions of euros.
The bank stated that while the Lagos case was ongoing, the company initiated multiple related suits in different courts, which it described as forum shopping. It also noted that FHT had previously attempted similar ex parte applications in Lagos before moving the case to Abuja shortly after withdrawing the earlier suit.
Allegations raised
Parallex Bank accused FHT Mega Express of failing to disclose key facts, including:
- The existence of the earlier Lagos case filed by the bank
- A subsisting court order directing parties to maintain status quo
- The dismissal of its earlier attempt to obtain ex parte relief in Lagos
According to the bank, these omissions misled the Abuja court into granting interim orders.
Court’s decision
The court agreed that FHT Mega Express acted in bad faith and engaged in abuse of judicial process by filing similar claims across multiple jurisdictions. It stressed that litigants must avoid duplicating cases for strategic advantage.
Reaction and implications
Parallex Bank welcomed the ruling, describing it as a strong affirmation of due process and the rule of law, while observers say the judgment reinforces the judiciary’s stance against forum shopping and repeated filings in commercial disputes.
The decision is also expected to strengthen Parallex Bank’s ongoing efforts to recover the disputed funds and pursue all lawful remedies in the matter.
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