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Kuje Amuwo family takes over Lagos landed property

By Emmanuel Badejo
30 May 2016   |   1:04 am
The landed property, which the court said was not part of those acquired by the Federal Government, is specifically located at 6th and 7th Avenues FESTAC town in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of the state.

Court

Armed with a judgement of Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos, the Kuje Amuwo Chieftaincy family has taken possession over a Lagos landed property.

The landed property, which the court said was not part of those acquired by the Federal Government, is specifically located at 6th and 7th Avenues FESTAC town in Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area of the state.

The family had been favoured by Justice Abang’s verdict, which was delivered in 29th February 2016.

The dispute over the landed property has been between the family and Federal Housing Authourity (FHA).

But The Guardian as at the time of this report could not confirm whether the defendant, FHA, has appealed the judgement of Justice Abang or not.

After it secured the judgement, the family had taken step to execute it and therefore enrolled it.

This step led to an order by the court, which directed the Sheriffs to carry out the execution of the judgement.

Although there was a little resistance at the first instance, but with then assistance of the police and court Sheriffs, the verdict was eventually executed.

The possession, which took place last week, was witnessed by Oba Isaac Owolabi Olayemi, the Alamuwo of Kuje Amuwo land, Chief Imam of Kuje Amuwo, Alhaji Mustapha Akinlolu and all members of the Kuje Amuwo Chieftaincy Family amid heavy police presence who provided protection.

Commenting after taken possession of the property, the General Secretary of Kuje Amuwo Land, Alhaji Mustapha Akanni Akinlolu, said the possession had put to rest fear and doubt created in the minds of those who have bought plots of land in the said land, have developed them and are already occupying their property, as some property owners on the land witnessed the peaceful conduct of the possession taking.

Akinlolu, who disclosed that some of the sitting land lords bought their plots directly from Kuje Amuwo family, assured that “We are not going to demolish any property on the land. But we are asking those who did not buy from us to come and regularise their documents”.

According to the General Secretary, the purported land was declared free from the land acquired by the federal government for the purpose of Festival of Arts and Culture, FESTAC 77.

The family added that it suddenly realised the arbitrary encroachment on the land by FHA without recourse to the aborigine owner, which prompted the family to challenge the encroachment in court, pointing out that the outcome of the matter was the judgement in favour of Kuje Amuwo Chieftancy Family.

In the enrolment of judgement order from Federal High Court, Lagos signed by Mrs. O. Y. Thomas, it said “Upon this proceeding coming before the court on February 29, 2016 for judgement, and the court having already heard Chris Okeke Esq. leading Ibrahim Bawa, Chidi Nkocha, H. O. Kazeem and Mabel Kalu for the plaintiffs, argued the plaintiffs’ case dated September 7, 2012.

“And the court having also heard Fred Agbaje, leading Adeniyi Pokonu for the defendant vehemently opposed to the plaintiffs’ claims. And the court having considered the facts of the case, the evidence of the plaintiffs and defendant’s witnesses in chief, under cross-examination and re-examination and the applicable law on the subject both statutory and judicial.

“And the court having delivered its judgement in the open court, the reasoning and conclusions are as contained in the body of the judgement dated the 29th day of February 2016, as follows- That exercise of the defendant’s power in putting the plaintiffs’ land into parcels and plots and attempting to sell them without the land having been first acquired by the acquiring authorities and vested same in the defendant as required by law is ultra vires her powers and therefore illegal, null and void and of no effect whatsoever.

“That the purported advertisement in the Nigerian Newspapers and particularly in the Guardian Newspaper of Monday April 12, 2012 and in ThisDay Newspaper of Monday Monday January 31, 2011 saying that the land belongs to the defendant and calling for contractors and consultants for the purpose of mobilising into the plaintiffs’ land without same having been first acquired by the acquiring authorities and vested same in the defendant is ultra vires her powers and therefore illegal, null and void and of no effect whatsoever.

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