Federal High Court Lagos Begins Committal Proceedings Against AMCON Officials and Counsel Over Alleged Contempt
Committal proceedings have commenced at the Federal High Court in Lagos against senior officials of the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) and two of its legal representatives, arising from allegations of contempt of court in the ongoing dispute with General Hydrocarbons Limited (GHL).
GHL alleges that AMCON and its counsel engaged in brazen contempt of court, by failing to disclose a subsisting restraining order issued by Justice A. Lewis‑Allagoa.
The restraining order expressly barred AMCON from appointing, or continuing with the appointment of, a receiver over GHL.
Despite this order, AMCON is said to have proceeded before Justice Akintayo Aluko to obtain an ex parte order, without informing the court of the earlier ruling.
GHL further contends that AMCON misrepresented the status of an Eligible Bank Asset (EBA) allegedly issued by First Bank of Nigeria, maintaining that only part‑payment had been made and that the transaction remained incomplete.
The court had earlier issued Form 48, a statutory notice warning of the consequences of disobeying a court order.
With the issuance of Form 49, the court has now formally triggered committal proceedings, requiring the cited parties to show cause why they should not be committed to prison for contempt.
According to the court documents, the following eight individuals have been cited:
1. Dr Bala Bello – Chairman, AMCON
2. Mr Gbenga Alade – Managing Director, AMCON
3. Mr Adeshola Lamidi – Executive Director, AMCON
4. Mr Lucky Adaghe – Executive Director, AMCON
5. Dr Aminu Mukhtar Dan’amu – Executive Director, AMCON
6. Mr Oluseyi Akinwunmi – Receiver purportedly appointed over GHL
7. Mr Bidemi Ademola‑Bello, SAN – Counsel to AMCON and its MD, present when Justice Lewis‑Allagoa issued the restraining order
8. Mr Ade Adedeji, SAN – Counsel whose firm represents AMCON and its Managing Director
Justice Lewis‑Allagoa has ordered substituted service of the Form 49 committal processes on all eight persons. Service may be effected via: official email addresses, whatsApp numbers, delivery at their offices, publication in at least two national newspapers and other major news platforms
The commencement of committal proceedings represents a serious escalation in the dispute between GHL and AMCON.
The court will now determine whether the conduct of the listed officials and counsel amounts to contempt capable of attracting sanctions, including possible committal to prison.
This development underscores the judiciary’s insistence on compliance with court orders, and raises broader issues of rule of law, judicial enforcement, and corporate governance in the management of distressed assets.
The eventual outcome may establish an important precedent for how agencies such as AMCON are expected to engage with court orders and counterparties in restructuring and asset recovery scenarios.
