The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) has put the Silverbird Entertainment Centre in Abuja on the market to recoup a multi-billion naira debt associated with former senator Ben Murray-Bruce and his family's affiliated companies.
In a recent public notice released by the Corporation, AMCON revealed that bids are now being accepted from interested buyers for the prominent commercial property situated in Abuja's Central Area Cadastral Zone.
The entertainment center is among several assets that AMCON currently has up for sale across states including Lagos, Rivers, Oyo, and Plateau.
Seized initially in 2016 by order of the Federal High Court, the Abuja mall is managed by Silverbird Entertainment and was taken over due to a debt surpassing N10 billion.
The liabilities are linked to various businesses owned by the Murray-Bruce family, such as Silverbird Productions Limited, Silverbird Showtime Limited, and Silverbird Galleria Limited.
In that year, Justice C.M.A. Olatoregun designated M.A. Banire as receiver to oversee the affected assets on AMCON's behalf. Additionally, the court barred Ben Murray-Bruce and his brothers Guy and Roy Murray-Bruce from interfering with the receiver’s duties. This ruling encompassed several mortgaged properties situated in Abuja, Lagos, and Port Harcourt.
Despite efforts to settle the debt through negotiations, AMCON confirmed that the obligation is still unresolved.
The company stated that the sale is part of their ongoing efforts to recover assets from prominent debtors who have defaulted.
The Abuja complex is still a key asset for the Silverbird Group, offering a cinema, restaurants, office spaces, and retail outlets. According to AMCON's notice, the mall covers a gross lettable area of 15,050.91 square meters and is being sold as-is.
Murray-Bruce, a prominent media executive and founder of the Silverbird Group, served as the representative for Bayelsa East in the Senate from 2015 to 2019. His company operates TV and radio stations across Nigeria and Ghana, as well as organizes the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria (MBGN) pageant.
AMCON previously revealed that, as of 2017, about 400 notable debtors accounted for approximately N4.5 trillion—around 80 percent of its outstanding receivables. Since then, the agency has intensified its recovery efforts through asset sales and legal enforcement measures.
Bids for the Silverbird Abuja property, along with other properties up for sale, must be submitted by July 11. Prospective buyers are encouraged to visit AMCON's website or reach out to the coordinating agents for more details.
At the time this report was written, Mr. Murray-Bruce had not yet responded to requests for comment on the development.
Post a Comment