Barely 24 hours after a fierce dispute between billionaire businessman, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Kogi State Government over Obajana Cement Company, the State Government has presented documents to lay claims to the establishment.
The tussle was bloody yesterday as the parties presented gunshot victims after the confrontation at the factory between workers and government agents.
The government today informed reporters of the report of the Specialised Technical Committee on the Evaluation of the Legality of the Alleged Acquisition of Obajana Cement Company Plc by Dangote Cement Company Limited.
The detailed report, submitted to Governor Yahaya Bello of the state, last month, was presented to the public by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. (Mrs) Folashade Ayoade.
She revealed with documents that the purported transfer of Obajana to Dangote Industries Limited, was “invalid, null and void”.
Ayoade disclosed in the report that three Certificates of Occupancy for Obajana Cement Company Plc, which was solely owned by the Kogi State Government at the time, were used to obtain a loan of N63billion by Dangote.
According to her, the Committee, in view of its findings, has therefore recommended that Kogi State should take steps to recover Obajana Cement Company from the Dangote Group.
The Committee, chaired by the SSG, also recommended that: “Kogi State Government should take steps to recover all accrued dividends from profits made over the years, including accrued interest on same.