Poised to ensure timely declaration of liquidation dividends to uninsured depositors, the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), on Sunday said it has started the process of auctioning landed properties and chattels of the failed Heritage Bank (In-Liquidation).
The exercise, the corporation said in a statement by Bashir Nuhu, Director, Communications and Public Affairs, is pursuant to its statutory powers as liquidator of failed banks under section 62 (1)(d) of the NDIC Act, 2023, and a further follow up action to disposal of physical assets and chattels belonging to the defunct bank at its leased locations nationwide
The auction, the NDIC statement noted, “shall be by competitive bidding in sealed bids schedule to take place at the six (6) selected locations of the Corporation across the country, for the affected 36 branches of the failed bank beginning from Wednesday 4th December, 2024.”
Buyers who wish to participate in the auction, it said, must follow laid down guidelines purposely aimed at ensuring transparency, fair competition, equity and accountability to enable recovery of commensurate values from the exercise.
The auction, it stressed, is critical for the payment of liquidation dividends to eligible claimants.
“The corporation shall give preference to financial institutions who are willing to buy at the highest auctioned value in order to allow for continuation of provision of banking services to the Nigerian public at the designated locations. This is desirable towards bolstering financial inclusion as envisaged by the financial system regulatory authorities. However, Corporate bodies and Private individuals willing to compete are equally eligible to compete in the process without prejudice, as the auction shall be open and competitive to all bidders.
“Furthermore, bidders will be given opportunity to inspect the properties and chattels across all locations one week prior to date of disposal,,” Nuhu further noted, urging interested parties to drop 10% the value of their sealed bids as security in the box provided at the specific centre across the six location of the corporation as contained in the published advertisements.
Locations designated for submission of bids by interested bidders were listed as NDIC offices in either Abuja, Lagos, Bauchi, Kano, Enugu, or Port Harcourt.
