By Uzoma Akobundu
Officials of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) who besieged the Allen Avenue premises of the popular Ikeja Lagos Best Western Hotel on Monday, September 18 with truck load of policemen over the indebtedness of the owners have pulled out the place, Armadanews.com has learnt.
No reason was given, however for the sudden pull out despite the boast by AMCON officials that the place will remain sealed until they have compelled Edward Akilade, the managing director/CEO of the hotel to pay the sum of N27 billion he allegedly borrowed from defunct Oceanic Bank PLC.
On Monday, September 18, detachment of Police Mobile Force (MOPOL) besieged the premises of Lagos Best Western Hotel to forcefully take over the place.
The police said they were at the place on the directive of AMCON which got a court order to seize the hotel over huge debt linked to the owners. AMCON said Akilade has allegedly refused to pay.
The money, Armadanews.com was informed, was borrowed from the defunct Oceanic Bank, now acquired by Ecobank PLC.
Armadanews.com was told on Monday by an official of AMCON that Akilade had also refused to obey orders of the court in respect of his huge exposures hence the enforcement of the court orders. “Even President Muhammadu Buhari cannot disobey court orders, so he does not have any right not to obey the orders of the court,” an official of AMCON explained to us.
When we visited the hotel on Monday morning, Akilade was spotted inside while the police barricaded the gate.
On the wall of the hotel AMCON also boldly wrote: “This premises has been taken over by AMCON.”
Akilade told the police he was not ready to vacate the hotel but AMCON said the man has no choice now given that the hotel had been taken over.
Guests were not only embarrassed by the development but some of the staff were taken unawares as they did not know what was fishing.
Guests already in the hotel could not come out not could new ones be admitted.
However, AMCON had insisted that their men would remain at the premises of the hotel for as long as the owner does the needful; obey the court order on his indebtedness. “If he pays us now we will leave, but if he refuses, we will remain there,” says AMCON official who also added that the Corporation has the capacity to appoint those to manage the hotel to profitability.
Another visit to the hotel on Tuesday indicated that the caution sign written on the wall of the hotel by AMCON had been cleaned. The workers were also busy going about their businesses without molestation contrary to what happened a day earlier.
An official of AMCON who was contacted again said their experts are the field and that the hotel is still not off their hook.