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Galadima Reacts As AMCON Takes Over His Abuja Residence, Company
The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) on Tuesday took over the business premises and assets of Bedko Nigeria Limited belonging to Buba Galadima, a strong critic of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Mr Galadima, a former political ally of the president, has for years been one of the most vociferous critics of the administration.
A one-time Director-General of the Nigeria Maritime Agency (NMA) (1996 – 1998), Mr Galadima was appointed the National Secretary of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) formed in the run-up to the 2011 national elections.
He was one of the nine signatories that signed the merger agreement between some political parties that came together to form the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), which President Buhari used as a platform for his election in 2015.
The political parties in the merger deal were the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA); Congress for Progressive Change (CPC); All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).
However, since the president’s election, his relationship with Mr Galadima appeared to have gone sour, with the latter emerging as the leading opposition voice against the administration’s policies and programmes.
On Tuesday, AMCON in a statement in Abuja said the Federal High Court in Abuja issued an order for it to take over Mr Gladima’s properties, including his private residence and company, over alleged N900 million indebtedness.
The order followed a ruling in suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1136/2019 against Bedko Nigeria Limited and Mr Galadima, AMCON said.
The spokesperson of AMCON, Jude Nwauzor, said the loan was sourced from Unity Bank Plc in 2011 during the first phase of Eligible Bank Assets acquisition.
“Since then, AMCON has offered the obligor a good measure of olive branches and explored all avenues to resolve the matter amicably. But the obligor, and his company, Bedko Nigeria Limited, have remained recalcitrant and unwilling to repay the huge debt to the Corporation,” Mr Nwauzor said.
AMCON listed the properties to include House No. 15, Addis Ababa Crescent, Wuse Zone 4, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja and House No. 4, Bangui Street, Wuse 2 also in the high-brow area of Abuja.
AMCON said the enforcement of the order on the properties of Bedko Nigeria Limited and Mr Galadima is one of the many it would be undertaking this year since receiving additional powers from the president late last year.
An Inter-agency Committee on the recovery of AMCON debts was constituted by the President Buhari last year following the signing into law of the 2019 Amended AMCON Act.
The amendment gave AMCON additional powers to go after all obligors of the corporation no matter how highly placed in society.
Mr Nwauzor said AMCON would take all necessary actions, including asset take-over, liquidation, winding-up and garnishee proceedings against Bedko Nigeria Limited and its directors in line with the court judgment and relevant sections of the AMCON Act as amended.
Meanwhile, Mr Galadima has denied knowledge of the allegations of indebtedness against him and his company.
Meanwhile, Mr Galadima has said he and his company are not indebted to AMCON.
“I went to a bank in 2003 to sign for a loan. A letter of credit was opened for me to import fertilizer at that time. But the goods never came. The head office of the bank in America refused to honour the invitation because the Bank in question was under investigation by the FBI (Federal Bureau of Intelligence). I didn’t take one kobo from them. They didn’t even credit my own account,” he said.
Mr Galadima said the collateral was agreed to take effect two or three years after importation of the fertilizer began.
However, he said when AMCON took him to a high court over the money, he protested that he was not satisfied with the judgment and appealed.
He said he won the appeal and the court freed him.
“All this is an attempt to disgrace and break me down. But I am unbreakable and they can never silence me,” Mr Galadima said, blaming his travails to his political opponents.
“This is injustice and attempt to humiliate me. But, God will not let them. They sacked me and over 50 people that sleep in this apartment. We don’t know where to go. We will remain on the streets. We will remain on the streets until God provides another place for us.
“They will surely pay for disgracing and humiliating me publicly. I am going back to court,” Mr Galadima said.
Premium Times
Former Vice President Namadi Sambo has dismissed reports that he has defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
It was widely reported on Wednesday that Sambo has defected to the APC. The reports cited a photograph of the ex-VP with Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani.
However, Sambo refuted the reports on Thursday in a statement by his media adviser, Umar Sani.
Sani, in the statement, said the picture was not recent.
He further stated that the former Vice President remains a loyal and dedicated member of the PDP, with no intention whatsoever of leaving the party.
“My attention has been drawn to a widely circulated story alleging that His Excellency, Arc. Mohammed Namadi Sambo, GCON, former Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). This claim is entirely false and without any basis.
“Following numerous calls and inquiries, I have taken the liberty on the authority of His Excellency’s family to issue this formal rebuttal. I categorically state that the story is a fabrication, laced with mischief and aimed at misleading the public.
“The photograph supporting this falsehood, showing His Excellency with the Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani, is not recent. It was taken years ago during a condolence visit by the Governor to His Excellency’s residence in Abuja, following the demise of his brother, the late Sani Sambo. The image is now being deliberately misrepresented to fit a contrived narrative.
“Furthermore, His Excellency is scheduled to attend the commissioning of a 300-bed hospital in Kaduna on Thursday, 19th June 2025. This project, which he initiated during his time in office, stands as a testament to his enduring commitment to public service and the development of Kaduna State.
“His invitation to witness the completion of this legacy project, and possibly offer a few remarks, must not be misconstrued as a political endorsement or as confirmation of any partisan shift.
“For the avoidance of doubt, His Excellency, Arc. Mohammed Namadi Sambo remains a loyal and committed member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
“He has no intention of joining any other political party. The defection story is purely the figment of the imagination of its authors calculated to sow confusion and achieve cheap political mileage,” the statement read.
The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja on Thursday granted the Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, bail in the sum of N50 million and one surety who must be a person of reasonable integrity resident in FCT Abuja and owns a landed property within the Abuja Municipal Area Council.
President Bola Tinubu has directed Nigeria’s military and intelligence leaders to identify and apprehend those responsible for the recent killings in Benue State, saying the continued violence must be met with a clear and coordinated response from security forces.
Addressing service chiefs, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and intelligence agency heads during a stakeholders meeting in Makurdi on Wednesday, Tinubu questioned the lack of arrests following the deadly attack on Yelwata community, which left dozens dead and displaced thousands.
“Police, I hope your men are on alert to listen to information. How come no arrest has been made? I expect there should be an arrest of those criminals,” Tinubu asked, urging security leaders to strengthen intelligence operations.
“Christopher (the chief of defence staff), you have given much. I watch your comments, you can’t be tired of staying in the bush. Oloyede and the Air Marshal, we thank all of you, but we need to keep our ears to the ground, let’s get those criminals, let’s get them out. DG NIA, DG SSS, retool your information channels and let’s have tangible intelligence so that this will not occur again.”
Tinubu’s comments came during a visit to Benue, where he met victims of the recent attack and later engaged political, religious, and traditional leaders in discussions on how to curb the prolonged violence between armed groups and rural communities.
Directing the National Intelligence Agency and the Department of State Services to review their operations, Tinubu said the government must “retool information channels” and act decisively.
The President’s visit comes amid heightened public pressure following the Yelwata killings, which have drawn criticism from political figures and religious leaders, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, and Pope Leo XIV.
During the meeting, Tinubu also reaffirmed his call for peacebuilding efforts. He told Governor Hyacinth Alia to work closely with past governors and traditional rulers in the state, warning that a failure to foster unity could further destabilise the region.
“We are members of the same house, just sleeping in different rooms,” Tinubu said. “We need to turn this tragedy into an opportunity to rebuild trust and foster development. Human life is more valuable than anything else.”
“Whatever we need to do, I’m ready to invest in that peace,” he said.
Governor Alia, in response, appealed for constitutional support to establish state police forces and a special intervention fund for rebuilding affected communities. He acknowledged the limitations of community policing but said it remained necessary to address Benue’s ongoing security challenges.
Traditional leaders at the meeting took a more urgent tone. The Tor Tiv and chairman of the Benue State Traditional Council, James Ayatse, rejected framing the violence as a herder-farmer conflict, describing it instead as a “coordinated campaign of terror and land seizure.”
“This is not a clash,” he said. “It is a calculated, full-scale genocidal invasion that has gone on for decades and is getting worse every year. Mischaracterising the problem leads to misguided solutions.”
Ayatse urged Tinubu to recognise the situation for what it is and to address it accordingly.
As part of his visit, the President toured hospitals where victims are receiving treatment and encouraged citizens to donate blood.
