Lagos businessman sues bank for breach of property lease, claims N36.8m

A Lagos High Court, sitting in Badagry Judicial Division, has fixed January 25, 2017, for further direction in the hearing of trial of an alleged claim of fraud committed by United Bank for Africa (UBA) against a businessman and chairman, L.I. Ayomumoye Nigeria Limited, Alhaji Lasisi Ishola Ayomumoye.

The claimant, Alhaji Ayomumoye, through his counsel, RouQ and Company, is claiming N36,850,000 as cost of demolition of present structure and erecting thereon the original structure, which was demolished by the bank without consent or authorization of the owner/claimant.

In the alternative, the businessman is demanding N24 million, being cost of restructuring the present building to a multi-purpose building, similar to that of the claimant.

In a statement of claim filed by his counsel, the claimant said a deed of sublease, which commenced from October 1, 2006, was breached by UBA on his building situated at Plot 15, Aina Layout, Lagos Abeokuta Road, Dopemu, Lagos State. According to Alhaji Ayomumoye, UBA, contrary to the deed of sub-lease, wholly demolished the property and erected a new structure, which is a single-purpose design of the bank, without the claimant’s consent or approval.

Upon discovery of the breach, the claimant wrote several letters to the bank, notifying it of the breach of covenant of the deed of sub-lease and requesting for compensation, which the bank ignored.

At the resumed hearing of the matter last week, the bank was not represented by any counsel at the sitting, and Justice Okikiolu Ighile, subsequently adjourned the matter to January 25, 2017.