9th December, 2010
Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation, the liquidator of Metropolitan Bank, has dragged the former governorship candidate of All People’s Grand Alliance (APGA) in Lagos State, Chief (Mrs.) Remi Adiukwu-Bakare and her company, Skencourt, before a Federal High Court in Lagos over alleged failure to pay a loan of N98,054,996.65.
Also joined as co-defendant in the debt recovery suit is a director of the company, Mr. Adeniyi Olu Omole.
In a statement sworn to by the Credit Officer of NDIC, it was alleged that when the politician’s step son was the managing director and her husband, Chief S. O. Bakare, was chairman, Board of Directors of Metropolitan Bank, Skencourt applied for and was granted some loans.
The company, with its head office at Plot A, Obafemi Awolowo Way, Ikeja, Lagos, carrying on the business of commodity trading was granted credit facilities in the sum of N1.064 billion. The loan was allegedly guaranteed by the Chief Executive Officer of the company, Chief Remi Adiukwu-Bakare and a director of the company, Mr. Adeniyi Olu Omole.
All the credit facilities were utilised by Skencourt and as at the close of business on 16 January, 2006, when Metropolitan Bank lincence was revoked by the Central Bank of Nigeria and consequently liquidated, the company was indebted to the bank in the sum of N98,054,996.
NDIC engaged the legal services of the law firm of Messrs. Alenkhe and Alenkhe to recover the debt owed the bank by the defendants at the cost of 10 per cent of the said debt as professional fee.
The law firm demanded for the payment of the debt from Mrs. Adiukwu-Bakare and Adeniyi Olu Omo but they failed to liquidate the debt.
Consequently, the plaintiff averred that the defendants have no defence to this suit.
The plaintiff claimed against the defendants jointly and severally, N98,054,996.65 as outstanding and unpaid debt; interest on the judgment debt at 10 per cent from the date of judgment until same is liquidated and N9,808,995 representing legal cost of prosecuting the case.
Meanwhile, the presiding judge, Justice James Tsoho, has ordered that all the court processes be put at the last known place of business of Skencourt, Mrs. Adiukwu-Bakare and Adeniyi Omole that is, Plot A, Obafemi Awolowo Way, Ikeja.
The case has since been adjourned for further hearing.