By Adedapo Adesanya
The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) has seized properties belonging to Senator Abdulfatai Buhari over unwillingness to fulfil the terms of a N600 million loan.
The corporation said it took the action after securing a court order to sell the assets to recover the loan.
Mr Buhari, elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), represents Oyo North.
The unpaid loan was taken by a Buhari-linked company, Abadat Ventures Limited, from a major bank.
It was classified as a Non-Performing Loan (NPL) and purchased by AMCON from the bank during the second phase of eligible bank asset purchases this year.
AMCON alleged that Mr Buhari had shown an unwillingness to repay the loan, despite the concessions made available to him by the Corporation in a bid to amicably resolve the matter.
The corporation approached the Federal High Court to obtain an order to take over assets of Abadat. It was granted by Justice I. E Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja on March 25.
In compliance with the enforcement order, the agency went about putting the logistics together and took effective possession of the two properties as listed by the court through its appointed receiver-manager – Mr Baba Mohammed Waziri of Baba Waziri & Co. Chambers.
The enforced properties include property situated at No. 12, St, Petersburg Street, Wuse II, Abuja and Plot 516, (also known as No. 2. Marte Close), off Misau Crescent, off Birnin Kebbi Crescent, Garki II, Abuja.
Besides granting the corporation possession of the seized properties, the court also ordered the receiver-manager to take all necessary steps required to realise the assets of the obligor, with a view to paying the outstanding loan in line with Section 553 and 554 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2020.
Head, Corporate Communications, AMCON, Mr Jude Nwauzor, who confirmed that the properties were effectively under the agency’s possession, explained that the enforcement was carried out in a seamless manner, as the court had directed officers and men of the Police, court bailiffs and other security agencies to assist AMCON in securing the assets.
Mr Nwauzor added that Mr Buhari, as the chief promoter of Abadat and his firm, had remained recalcitrant despite all efforts, negotiations and windows of opportunity provided them by AMCON to enable them to repay the indebtedness.
According to him, having exhausted all possibilities, AMCON had no other options as a law-abiding corporate organisation than to seek judicial intervention.
Modupe Gbadeyanka