The owner of the Amakpe International Refineries, located in Usua-Amanam Housing Estate, Ikot Ufum, Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Chief Usua Henry Amanam, has approached the High Court in Uyo to refute claims by a financial consultancy firm, Financial Bridge Inc., that he owes it the sum of $1.46 million.
In Suit No: HU/213/2025, Chief Amanam contends that Financial Bridge Inc. was fully paid all its professional fees relating to previous financial transactions and services rendered. He also described the firm’s alleged move to sue the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) without his consent as fraudulent.
The businessman, in a 33-paragraph statement of claim, narrated how he secured a loan from the defunct NAL Merchant Bank PLC, later acquired by Sterling Bank PLC, for the establishment of Amakpe International Refineries Nigeria Limited. The loan was secured using several properties situated in various locations as collateral.
Chief Amanam, who is also the Chairman and one of the shareholders of the refinery company, stated that the company sits on 34.351 hectares of land with uncompleted structures valued at N5 billion. He alleged that these assets were unlawfully excluded from a consent judgment, which he described as fraudulently obtained through the conspiracy of the first defendant (Financial Bridge Inc.) and AMCON.
He insisted that AMCON lacked the legal authority to consent to pay or to actually pay any debt not owed by Amakpe International Refineries Nigeria Limited or its promoters.
According to the claimant, the inability to realize the refinery project was largely due to the politicization of the Nigerian oil industry, which affected his capacity to repay the borrowed funds.
It would be recalled that Financial Bridge Inc. had earlier dragged AMCON before the Federal High Court in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1122/2024, following which the court granted approval to Mr. Goodluck C. Adekweh, a representative of Abuja Property Shop Limited, listed as the fourth defendant in the matter, to sell Chief Amanam’s property in order to offset the alleged debt.
However, Chief Amanam has now prayed the court to restrain Financial Bridge Inc. (1st defendant), Barr. Emmanuel Dibia (2nd defendant), Abuja Property Shop Limited (3rd defendant), and Mr. Goodluck C. Adekweh (4th defendant) from ejecting any tenants or occupants from any of his properties.
He is also seeking a perpetual injunction to bar the defendants, their agents, or privies from renting or selling any of his assets.
In the meantime, the claimant wants the court to restrain Santana Security Services Limited (6th defendant) from deploying or maintaining any security personnel on any of his properties.
Chief Amanam is further demanding that the court compel all the defendants to jointly pay him the sum of ₦50 billion as damages, and an additional ₦50 million as cost of legal action.
