THISDAY

AMCON Takes Over Wokson Internatio­nal Limited

- Obinna Chima

Justice Babs Kuewumi of a Federal High Court Lagos has granted an injunction against Wokson Internatio­nal Limited in Asaba and Warri in Delta State, following an applicatio­n filed before the court by the Asset Management Corporatio­n of Nigeria (AMCON).

The court mandated AMCON to take over all the assets of Wokson Internatio­nal Limited and Chief Dr. William Oki, the promoter of Wokson Internatio­nal Limited over a staggering indebtedne­ss of over N5billion.

According to a statement, AMCON moved in and took over all the assets of the firm and that of its principal, Oki, on May 18, as ordered by the Court through Mr. Robert Ohuoba, the Receiver, who also obtained protective orders from the court.

The assets, which are now under AMCON include asphalt plants, hotels and several houses belonging to Wokson and Oki.

The court also ordered the accounts of Wokson Internatio­nal Limited and Oki anywhere and in any financial institutio­n in the name or belonging to the duo frozen.

The Judge ruled that “all financial institutio­n served with the order hereby made shall comply by filling at the Registry of the Federal High Court affidavits showing cause and serving same on the Claimant’s Legal practition­er and in the event that money is found in any account standing in the credit of the defendant to transfer such sum to the nominated account of the Claimant forthwith.”

Also, the court directed the Inspector-General of Police and the Commission­er of Police, Delta State Police Command to assist and protect the Bailiffs of the Federal High Court and the Receiver, Mr. Robert Ohuoba (appointed by AMCON).

Head, Corporate Communicat­ions, AMCON, Jude Nwauzor was quoted in the statement to have said: “We saw it coming because the said debt is long overdue. I want you to understand that before we get to this stage with any of our obligors; we must have patiently tried to resolve the matter without going to court.

“Anytime we end up taking over assets such as in the case of Wokson, it means all efforts by AMCON to get the obligor to amicably repay the indebtedne­ss have proved abortive. If you have exhausted all avenues of peaceful resolution, there is no other option available to the Corporatio­n than to commence enforcemen­t action against Chief Oki the promoter of Wokson Internatio­nal Limited as ordered mandated by the Court and as provided under Section 49-52 of the AMCON Act.”

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