After making several attempts over the last few weeks to take over Best Western Hotel, owned by Suru Group on Allen Avenue, AMCON finally took over ownership of the 4 star Hotel early hours of Friday morning.
On Friday 22, September, the AMICON team made up of policemen and court bailiffs reportedly stormed the hotel at about 4.30am and evaluated both customers and staff of the hotel.
Best Western Plus Lagos Ikeja Hotel is owned by Lagos businessman, Edward Akinlade
AMCON first stormed Best WesternPlus Lagos Ikeja Hotel, on the 30th of August, 2017 with a Court Order dated the 30th day of May, 2017, which the Suru Management contested and yet again on the 18th September 2017 with over 500 Mopol Policemen.
AMCON had gone to Justice Idris by Originating Motion, having the following parties as Defendants in the case (1.) Inspector General of Police, (2.) Commander of Lagos State, (3.) Civil defense Corps) excluding Suru Group from the said suit no FHC/L/CS/1056/16 wherein they sought a Court Order, directing the defendants above to assist in taking over the assets of the company to wit; (1) .12 Allen Avenue, Ikeja, (2.) No. 12 Rev Ogunbiyi and (3.) Opebi road, Ikeja.
The Management of the hotel refused AMCON from forcefully taking over the hotel, claiming that the ground upon which they got their order was defective and it said it cannot fold its hands and allow government trample on its rights through that means, hence the reason for the said resistance.
In December 2010, Oceanic bank (now Ecobank) sold Suru groups loan book to AMCON for N8billion as non-performing loan and subject to the above, the company then sued the bank for Mismanagement of Account at the Federal High Court in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/450/2011 which was before Justice Okeke and later transferred to Justice Suleiman Hassan where the matter is still on-going.
While the above suit in Federal High Court suit was on-going, AMCON sued SURU in a Suit No FHC/L/CS/218/14 before Justice Idris via originating motion and after parties have exchanged affidavit evidence, AMCON prayed to the court to withdraw the matter and because affidavit evidence had already been exchanged between parties, the court dismissed the matter with N50,000,00 cost against AMCON which remained unpaid till date. Suru group took this as a clear flouting of court order by a government agency.
The above order of dismissal made by Justice Idris on the 22nd of June 2015 in favour of Suru Worldwide Ventures Nigeria Limited (against AMCON) was not appealed against, instead, AMCON applied to be joined as parties in the suit Suru has against Oceanic/(now Ecobank) in suit no FHC/L/CS/450/2012 which same application was granted. AMCON upon becoming a party to the above suit brought an application in June, 2017 seeking the same relief that was dismissed by Justice Idris in 2015 and the company filed an application with respect to theirs. Both applications were heard in July 2017 and reserved for ruling next month October 3rd, 2017.
According to the SURU group boss, the previous MD of AMCON agreed that Suru can sue Oceanic/ Eco Bank Limited for the frauds perpetrated against his company. And they initially paid over N1.6b to AMCON, subsequently paid N50m per month for several months until AMCON brought what he described as an unrealistic offer which made settlement impossible and parties resorted to court for justice.
