By Uche Amunike
The First City Monument Bank has, Thursday, seized properties and assets worth N4.4 billion, which belonged to Bankers Warehouse Limited, Vandt Investment Limited, as well as Victor Hammond, after a Federal High Court in Lagos granted the authority.
Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke, who delivered the ruling on October 6, directed the Inspector-General of Police and Commissioners of Police in the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos State and Kano State, to protect the appointed receiver of the bank, as he gains control of the assets, which were pledged as security for a facility granted by the bank and guaranteed by Mr. Hammond.
The court order permits police protection to ensure that the plaintiffs can seize the defendant’s properties and assets until the suit is determined.
The plaintiffs in the suit are First City Monument Bank Limited and Mr Omeye.
A certified true copy of the court order dated October 7, Thursday, showed that First City Monument Bank approached the court to seize multiple properties and freeze accounts linked to a N4.1 billion loan.
The First City Monument Bank filed a motion ex-parte on August 15, to direct the Inspector-General of Police or Commissioners of Police in Lagos, Kano and the Federal Capital Territory, to protect its appointed receiver during the takeover.
The properties include Bankers Warehouse Limited’s landed property at No 15 Karimu Kotun Street, Victoria Island, Lagos; Vandt Investment Limited’s property at 12C Bompai Road, Kano; and another property at Plot 715, Gwarimpa Cadastral Zone CO2, Abuja.
The bank also sought to seize vehicles, clamps and machinery listed in the Deed of Fixed Debenture dated July 3, 2013.
They further demanded that the court should issue a Mareva injunction restraining the 4th to 22nd respondents including Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc, Polaris Bank Ltd, Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, Keystone Bank Ltd, Sterling Bank Plc, United Bank for Africa Plc, Union Bank Plc and Globus Bank Ltd, as well as First Bank of Nigeria Ltd, Wema Bank Plc, Citibank Nigeria Limited, Standard Chartered Bank, Parallex Bank Ltd, Access Bank Plc, Ecobank Nigeria Ltd, Unity Bank Plc, and Providus Bank, from transferring, dealing with, or disposing of N4,118,921,618.53 or any amount linked to Bank Verification Number (BVN) 22153739327 belonging to Mr Hammond until the court determines the suit.
The motion is supported by a 33-paragraph affidavit, deposed to, by a staff member of the Furst City Monument Bank, Godspower Igwe, with attached exhibits and a written address signed by D.D Duru. Present in court was the bank’s lawyer, S.O Uzuh.
The ruling of the court covers the second defendant’s property at Victoria Island, the first defendant’s properties at Kano and Abuja as well as all vehicles, plants and machinery listed in the fixed debenture.
According to Mr. Emeka, the banks are further restrained from transferring or dealing with the N4.1 billion linked to the first and third defendants. He directed them to reveal on oath within 14 days, the funds held for the defendants. The suit was adjourned to 20th October, for mention.
