Court officials seize Andy Uba’s vehicles over unpaid N50m loan

Officials of the Federal High Court, Abuja, execution unit and police officers on Tuesday stormed the Abuja residence of the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Andy Uba, and seized his vehicles over a N50 million debt.

This followed a ruling by the court which on June 30 granted a motion to execute the 2017 judgment by Justice Mbonu Nwenyi of the Aguata Division of the same court, authorising Oranto Petroleum to seize assets worth N50 million from the politician.

Oranto Petroleum had in 2016 filed the suit against the ex-lawmaker back a N50 million interest-free loan he was granted by the company owned by billionaire businessman, Chief Arthur Eze.

During the trial in 2017, Uba said the N50 million was given to him as a gift for a political campaign and asked the oil firm to show evidence that the money was a loan.

However, Oranto Petroleum’s counsel, Ugochi Ohajekwe, said the burden of proof was on the politician.

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Ohajekwe, who cited section 131 (1) of the Evidence Act to defend her client, challenged Uba to prove that no repayment was expected.

Justice Nwenyi ruled in favour of Oranto Petroleum, and asked the APC chieftain to repay the loan.

He said: “The Plaintiff has sufficiently shown that he granted interest-free friendly loan to the defendant which has not been denied and since has not been repaid.

“In the circumstances, I enter judgment for the plaintiff in the sum of N50 million being refund of interest-free loan granted to the defendant by the plaintiff at the request of the defendant.”

Following Uba’s failure to repay the loan as ordered by the court as of May 5, the company secured a judgment sum against him.

The outcome of the June 30 ruling was the invasion of Uba’s residence at No. 49 T.Y Danjuma Street, Asokoro, Abuja, by court officials to take possession of his cars.

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