Court orders final forfeiture of 22 Lagos landed properties to Nigerian govt

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, ordered the final forfeiture of 22 landed properties located in different parts of Lagos State to the Federal Government.

The judge gave the order in two separate rulings on applications filed by two interested parties on the assets.

Justice Ekwo had on November 16, 2021, ordered the interim forfeiture of the property to the federal government.

But the Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Moyosore Onigbanjo; and the Onikoyi of Lagos, Oba Patrick Ibikunle Fanfunwa, had filed applications to show cause why the property should not be permanently forfeited to the federal government.

In their preliminary objections, the Lagos government and the traditional ruler urged the court to strike out the suit for want of jurisdiction.

However, in his rulings on the applications, Justice Ekwo held that the federal government’s case succeeded on merit.

He said although the case made in the respondents’ affidavits on the reasons the assets should not be permanently forfeited to the federal government was not substantiated, it was made in absolute bad faith.

He said the respondents’ application failed for lack of valid evidence to substantiate the assertions they had made in the affidavits.

READ ALSO: Lagos to come down on residents of estates converted to other uses

“The law insists that where facts deposed to in an affidavit have not been controverted, such facts must be taken as true,” he said.

Justice Ekwo, therefore, ordered that all the property listed on the face of the motion on notice be finally forfeited to the federal government.

The properties include approximately 4.222 square meters of land in Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase 1 Beside the Substation, approximately 1.700 square metres with an uncompleted Twin Duplex in Victoria Gardens City (VGC) Estate; No. 2a /2b Kuramo Close Ikoyi, Lagos State.

Others include a Warehouse at Wharf Road Apapa, property along Muritala Mohammed Airport Road in Ikeja, an empty fenced land at No. 13b McDonald Road Ikoyi, and property at No. 20 Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos State.

Also forfeited are Plot 001 Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos State; No.3 Macpherson Ikoyi, Lagos State; Two Bedrooms Flat F at Block 25, Ladoke Akintola Street; One Duplex Property at No. 11, Alexander Avenue, Ikoyi; Plot 24/25 Sango House, Marina, Lagos; No. 32, Queens Drive in Ikoyi, Lagos State and a detached Storey House of four-Bedroom with three rooms BQ at Block 11, ljora Staff Quarters, Lagos, among others.

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