The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Monday held a secret meeting with the well known bank debtors it had invited for deliberation, in its on-going efforts to retrieve the debts owed the banks. Neither the media nor the public knew the venue of the meeting.
The EFCC refused to give details of yesterday's meeting and those that attended the meeting. The meeting, also did not hold at the EFCC office on Awolowo Road, Ikoyi Lagos. But the agency claimed it resorted to the option due to the reluctance of the invited people to face journalists who had besieged the Lagos office of the commission.
However, the EFCC spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, told journalists that the commission did not intend to give a special treatment to the debtors this time around, but had to adjust to ensure quick repayment and justice to all parties involved in the bank debtors' saga.
Fifty five debtors were said to have been invited for the meeting, but the EFCC also refused to confirm the exact number of those that were present, merely saying that some of them had promised to start paying as from today.
The invitation was expected to allow the debtors to make commitments to the EFCC and the banks on how they planned to pay their debts.
"It is still an on-going process and some have promised to start paying as from tomorrow," Mr.Babafemi said.
"I want to believe that those that might not have shown up will still utilize the opportunity and come around. They are not comfortable with the media presence and we had to resolve for an alternative venue, just to encourage them to pay on time."
The Central bank of Nigeria had on Wednesday last week, published a new list of over 600 Nigerians and companies owing five banks to the tune of N450 billion.
The five new banks are are: Equitorial Trust Bank; Wema Bank plc; Unity Bank plc; Bank PHb and Spring Bank Plc.
To prepare the ground for yesterday's meeting, the chairperson of the EFCC, Farida Waziri, had arrived in Lagos on Friday, to take charge of efforts aimed at recovering the bank debts or at least obtaining a firm commitment from the debtors of when they would begin to repay their debts. To demonstrate the seriousness of the EFCC, the agency at the weekend, arrested the former managing director of Bank PHB, Francis Atuche, that of Spring Bank, Charles Ojo and Mr. Peter Ololo of Falcon Secyrities
The CBN list, which includes the country's former vice-president, Atiku Abubakar and other prominent Nigerians, has generated a lot of confusion as some of the alleged debtors had denied owing any bank.
The October 14 statement, released and signed by M.M. Abdullahi, Head, Corporate Affairs of the CBN, revealed the acclaimed debt as at June 30,
2009. The debt portfolio breakdown for the banks, include: Bank PHB - N170.073 billion; Spring Bank - N95.594 billion; Equatorial Trust Bank - N46.154 billion and Unity Bank - N36.585 billion.
Since the beginning of the sanitisation in the banking industry, the Central Bank has sacked seven bank chief executive officers, including the October 2 removal of three bank chiefs and the appointment of new chief executive officers in their places. They are : Francis Atuche, Bank PHB; Charles Ojo, Spring Bank and MR Ike Oraekwuotu, Equitorial Trust Bank.
Abubakar accepts debt list
Meanwhile, Garba Shehu, the media aide to the former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, said in a release issued yesterday in Abuja that the former Vice-President did not deny that he owed. He, however, said the account in question was an "old, dormant account" to which no attention had been paid by his staff.
"I have since resumed talks with the bank on the issue and the matter will be resolved. We will pay the outstanding sum as soon as it is agreed upon," he quoted Mr. Abubakar as saying.
Calls to Mr Shehu's number for additional information were not picked up.
But the statement said Mr Abubakar expressed his full support for the on-going reform of the banking sector as part of measures to stimulate economic growth.


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