The Nation Newspaper

Tag: properties

  • Residents blame fire service for loss of properties

    Occupants of Block 369 in Double Star area of Jakande Estate in Ejigbo Local Development Area of Lagos have absolved themselves of blame in the  fire that ravaged their apartments.

    They are blaming fire fighters for the incident.

    The inferno destroyed two flats in a two-storey building.

    It was gathered that occupants of a flat left their gas switch on. Another person said the fire emanated from the air conditioner  that wasn’t switched off.

    A victim, John Ogwu, said electricity voltage in the area had not been stable for a while, adding that he switched off all appliances before he left for work.

    He said: “I was at Ikeja when a neighbour called that my flat was on fire and immediately I dialled 112. I also called the Ejigbo fire service but I was told they were not working. I called Isolo Fire Service, they said there was no water. It was later I informed the Bariga office and before they reached the estate, my properties were gone. There was nothing left in the house. I went to Ejigbo LCDA and nothing has been done; nobody has called me.”

    His certificates, his wife’s  and children’s birth certificates, he said, went with the fire.

    “If the fire fighters got to my place on time, they would have rescued few things. An estate that is owned by the government should have a fire service unit because it has over 500,000 occupants leaving there,” he added.

    A resident, Nelly Momodu, who runs a barber’s shop opposite the affected building, said the fire was caused high voltage.

    Momodu said when the light was restored, it fluctuated and people complained of how it damaged their appliances.

    He said: “Some residents tried to put out the fire but it was more than their capacity. The land meant for the fire service to build their station in the estate has been sold out to people and other spaces have been rented out as shops.”

  • Court to hear suit on Ikoyi properties Oct 6

    Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos will on October 6, 2015 hear a preliminary objection filed by Onikoyi of Ikoyi/Moba land, Oba Patrick Ibikunle Fafunwa challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear a suit filed against him by members of the Onikoyi Descendants’Family.

    The Onikoyi Descendants’Family had in the suit No: FHC/L/CS/451/15 filed against the Federal Government and the monarch, asked the court for an order directing the government to include them in future transfer of land and meeting pertaining to the return of properties to the Onikoyi Royal Family.

    Joined as defendants alongside Oba Fafunwa are the Attorney-General of the Federation (second defendant), the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development (third defendant), the Implementation Committee of the White Paper on the Commission of Enquiry into the Alienation of Federal Government Property (fourth defendant) and Unknown Persons (fifth defendant).

    The plaintiffs include Fatai Ogunlana Onikoyi Chief Muritala Adedoyin Elegushi, Alhaji Waliu Dimeji Sulaiman, Onikoyi Animashaun Abdulfatai Kolawole, Mufutau Adeshegun Onikoyi, Oyebode Shadeko, Halim Akinyemi Eshinlokun, Adja Ganiat Onikoyi Carew, Alhaja Taibat Jenmi-Owo and Idris Owoyele.

    Others are Alhaji Bilikis Bombata, Lookman Adeshina, Alhaji Tinko Aderemi, Ganiyu Onikoyi, Bolanle Doherty, Alhaja Suliat Shodiya and Fatai Onikoyi Shina for themselves and on behalf of Fafunwa, Ojubiari, Kunayije, Ilumo, Idewu, Kugbamola, Aluko Ajose, Dosumu, Ajiwe and Adelo branches of Onikoyi Royal Family.

    Specifically, the plaintiffs asked the court for an order of injunction restraining Oba Fafunwa from usurping the rights of the ten branches of the Onikoyi Family, including sale of land and usage as his personal property.

    In addition, the plaintiffs asked the court for an order partitioning the 4.324 hectares of land, the subject matter of suit No: LD/769/12 into ten portions for the ten branches that make up the Onikoyi Royal Family.

    The  plaintiffs, in their statement of claim averred that the Onikoyi Royal Family  in 1977 had an executive committee comprising of  the late Professor A. B. Fafunwa, Chief C. B. Onikoyi, Alhaji A.G Onikoyi, Alhaji A.F. Onikoyi, Alhaji L. Kehinde Onikoyi and Prince R. Olatunji Onikoyi who were to handle the income of the family but due to their failure, a suit was instituted against them in suit No: LD/697/97 on sharing formulae and judgment on the matter was delivered by Justice A. Adeniyi on September 25, 2001.

    The plaintiffs also averred that the family instituted another suit No: LD/1172/93 against the Attorney-General of the Federation, NITEL, NIJA ROSE Properties Development Company Limited, Executive Government of Lagos State and Attorney General of Lagos State over a 43.143 hectares of land, the judgment of which was delivered by Justice Adetula Alabi in 2003 in favour of the family.

    They alleged that despite that the judgement was in favour of the family, the land was sold by the executive committee in connivance with the Oba who was crowned in 2007.

    Furthermore, the plaintiffs claimed that in 2007, a 4.342 hectares of land covered by water was allocated to the family by the Lagos State Government but that it was seized by the Federal Government and later settled out of court in suit No: LD/769/12 between the Federal Government and the Oba alone.

    However, because the family representatives were not involved in the out-of-court settlement, the Federal Government refused to release the land to any single individual adding that this made the Oba to file a suit, No: LD/8690/14, against the Federal Government and which is pending at the Lagos High Court.

    They further averred that two high chiefs, on behalf of Onikoyi Chieftaincy Family, Chief Adedotun Adeseye and Chief Abayomi Fafunwa, equally dragged Oba Onikoyi before a Lagos High Court in suit No:LD/7438/14, asking the court to declare that with the death of Prof Babatunde Fafunwa and the removal of Otunba A.G. Onikoyi, as signatories and accredited representatives of the Onikoyi Chieftaincy Family, Oba Onikoyi cannot validly and competently act as a sole signatory to the account and other land transfer documentations of the Onikoyi Royal Family without the reconstitution of the executive committee of the family.

    However, Oba Onikoyi in his statement of defence denied the Plaintiffs statement of claim, emphasising that the present action as constituted is incompetent, vexatious, scandalous and totally bereft of any jurisdictional power and authority.

    The monarch contended that the plaintiffs in this action (FHC/L/CS/451/15) who are not parties to the case in suit No: LD/769/12 and who are not also parties to the terms of settlement entered in the said suit, cannot competently seek a declarative relief of the court to enforce the terms of the consent judgment entered into between known and identifiable parties.

    In their statement of defence,  both the Minister of Lands Housing and Urban Development and the Implementation Committee of the White Paper on the Commission of Enquiry into the Alienation of Federal Government Property in their statement of defense stated that the terms of settlement was filed and adopted by parties in the court in suit No: LD/769/12 on February 18, 2014 in which the court presided over by Justice Kazeem Alogba entered as the consent judgment because the 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants did not accept the validity of the certificate of occupancy dated January 31, 2007 and registered as No 20 at page 20 in volume 2007B of the Register of Deeds, Lands Registry, Lagos issued by the Lagos State Government over Federal Government Land at Ikoyi.

    Both defendants alleged the Oba has deliberately refused to demarcate the 4.342 hectares which was the subject matter of the term of settlement in suit No: LD/769/12 as the Oba has trespassed on far more hectares than was covered by the term of settlement in suit No: LD/769/12.

    Furthermore, the duo stated that while Onikoyi Chieftaincy Family was represented by the Oba, the terms of settlement signed singly by him did not reflect the interest of the Onikoyi Chieftaincy Family as he has refused any other signatories on behalf of Onikoyi Chieftaincy Family, the term of settlement, neither has the Oba presented a juristic entity to whom title can be given.

    The third and fourth defendants said the Federal Government is willing and prepared to issue title and give possession to the Onikoyi Chieftaincy Family provided the Oba brings a legal entity or juristic person on which title will be vested.

     

  • N351m properties saved from fire

    The FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has saved N351.5m worth of properties from going up in flames between June and July.

    Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the agency, Josie Mudashiru provided the information in a press statement, adding that the properties were residential homes, business premises and institutional structures.

    She stated, “In furtherance of its mandate to ensure that disasters are reduced to the barest minimum, the FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has saved properties valued at Three Hundred and Fifty one Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira only in the months of June and July, 2015.

    The Director General of FEMA Alhaji Abbas Idriss said that out of the 13 fire stations situated within the FCT, only three, namely, Abaji Fire Station, Kaura and National Judicial Institute did not receive stress calls.

    The D.G. urged everyone to cooperate with FEMA and help it to respond promptly to distress calls.

    “The properties saved cut across residential, business and institutional buildings, the D-G said, adding that the residential buildings represent 64% of the total fire incidences recorded in the two months under review.

    “Alhaji Abbas Idris called on FCT residents to implement the Fire Code that stipulates amongst other requirements, that public and private buildings should install smoke detectors and fire alarms. This implementation, according to the Director General, will ensure that properties and lives are saved due to the early warning system that the gadgets provide.

    The TCT boasts of Thirteen Fire Stations and they are as follows: Asokoro, Abaji, Games Village,and Garki Market. Others are Gwarimpa, Kuje, Kubwa, Kwali, Kaura Market, Karu and National Judicial Institute. TheDirectorGeneral said the public should call any fire station closer to them in the event of an emergency or call the three (3) digit toll free emergency number 112.

    He urged FCT residents to cooperate with the Federal Capital Territory Administration in reducing emergencies by being safety conscious at all times.

     

  • Again, ICPC seizes properties worth N88.5m

    Again, ICPC seizes properties worth N88.5m

    In furtherance to its fight against corruption, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has again seized four properties belonging to one Joseph Etefia Udoh They are valued at N88.5m.

    The properties which are located in Abuja, Akwa Ibom and Kaduna states include two different uncompleted three bedroom Semi Detached Bungalows at Sil Estate, Karmo, Abuja valued at N40million, one uncompleted duplex building located off Brook Street, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, valued at N34million, two different uncompleted three detached bungalow located at Gonin Gora, Kaduna, valued at N8million and four plots of land at Gonin Gora, Abuja Express Way, Kaduna valued at N6.5m.

    In a notice of seizure by the Commission dated August 20, 2015 and signed by its Chairman, Ekpo Nta, the ICPC said that: “the Commission has investigated a matter involving a retired Registrar in the Kaduna Judicial Division of the Federal High Court, wherein certain immovable properties owned by the said staff are in issue and to preserve the properties from being sold or tampered with in any manner whatsoever.”

    Nta also stated that based on Udoh’s confessional statement and its investigation, the Commission is of the opinion that the properties are excess of his legitimate earnings.

    He further said the notice of seizure of the properties is to be served on the appropriate Land Registries and Departments in all the states where the properties are situated.

    Last week the Commission had seized properties of which it said belonged to Niger Delta Ministry staff.

     

  • Ojukwu’s firm withdraws suit against Bianca over Lagos properties

    A company, Ojukwu Transport Limited, yesterday withdrew three suits it filed against the widow of the late Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu , Bianca and others at the Lagos State High Court, Igbosere.

    The company sued for some properties located in Ikoyi. The houses, situated at 29 Oyinkan Abayomi Drive (formerly Queens Drive), Ikoyi, and at 13, Ojora Road (Hawksworth Road), Ikoyi, are said to generate N80 million in rent yearly, according to the claimant.

    During yesterday’s proceedings, the claimant, through its lawyer, Ikechukwu Ubahakwe, told the court, presided over by Justice Adedayo Oyebanji, of its intention to withdraw the suits.

    Counsel to Mrs Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Nick Omeye, did not object to the application.

    He, however, prayed the court to award N100, 000 as cost against the claimant.

    The lawyer said Mrs Odumegwu-Ojukwu, being a public figure, had been derided in newspapers when the suit was filed.

    “Considering the status of the defendant, I ask for N100, 000 against the claimant.

    “The claimant got to know of the suit while she was in Spain as an ambassador.

    “Most national newspapers carried the story when the suit was filed,’’ he said.

    Justice Oyebanji awarded N5, 000 against the claimant.

    She refused to award cost in the other suits since the defendants were unknown persons.

    “This suit is hereby struck out,” the judge ruled.

    The judge granted the claimant’s request to strike out two other suits against unknown persons occupying two properties of the firm.

    The claimant sued Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu for herself and on behalf of any other person who claims to be in possession of 29, Oyinkan Abayomi Drive.

    The defendant in the second suit over the property at 13, Ojora Road was not specified in the statement of claim.

    The claimant said the properties were earlier occupied by the late Odumegwu-Ojukwu before he relocated to Enugu, 10 years ago.

    According to the claimant, the late war lord handed them over to the company to manage by power of attorney.

    It claimed that it was losing N40 million per annum on each of the houses because the occupants allegedly failed to pay rent or give up possession.

    The company asked to take over the properties and demanded a payment of N80 million being expected value of the two houses from September 27, last year, until the defendants give up possession.

    It further asked for 21 per cent interest on the accrued sums until judgment is given, five per cent interest until the sum is fully liquidated, and N100 million damage on the suits.