Hon. Justice Chuka Austine Obiozor of The Federal High Court Lagos Division has granted an interim injunction against Afrijet Airlines Limited, owned by Chief Vitalis Ibe on the application of Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).
The obligor owes AMCON nearly N10 billion. AMCON purchased the Eligible Bank Assets (EBAs) sometime in 2011 from the defunct FinBank and Bank PHB. The order also affects Ibe’s Continental Aviation Services Limited. AMCON has since appointed Prof. Gbolahan Elias, SAN as Receiver/Manager.
At about 11:00am yesterday, the Receiver/Manager took possession of the assets of Chief Ibe including Afrijet Plaza, the corporate head office of the airlines located on Sheraton-Opebi Link Road Ikeja, Opebi, Lagos; his asset at Plot 22, JimohOdutola Street, off Eric Moore Road, Surulere, Lagos as well as his office at the Airport. The Court order mandated the Receiver/Manager to also take over on behalf of AMCON and any other offices, branches, stores, warehouses, factories of Chief Ibe and his companies located and/or traced for the purpose of satisfying the indebtedness.
Justice Obiozor, the presiding judge while granting the order on the application of Prof. Gbolahan Elias, SAN counsel to AMCON, restrained Ibe and his companies, directors, agents, servants and/or privies from operating, withdrawing from or otherwise tampering with the funds belonging to and/or deposited in any of his bank accounts under whatever name or guise in any bank or financial institution in Nigeria. Chief Ibe who would not repay the huge debt owed the Corporation has been in protracted negotiations with AMCON.
The Court therefore ordered the Inspector General of Police, Assistant Inspectors General of Police, and the Commissioner of Police in charge of Lagos State, its Deputy and all other Police Officers under them to assist Prof. Gbolahan Elias, SAN, the Receiver/Manager and the Bailiffs of the Federal High Court in the enforcement of the orders of the Court. No incident was recorded during the enforcement exercise.
Afrijet Airlines formally operated from the NAHCO Building on the grounds of Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Ikeja, Lagos. At some point in the history of the airline, it also operated regional cargo operations high profile security flight operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The airline later moved to its corporate headquarters in Opebi, Lagos, which was one of the assets AMCON took over yesterday.
Afrijet Airlines still maintains an aviation maintenance shop with its sister company, Elite Aviation.
