The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) have been brought before an FCT High Court over an alleged unlawful revocation of a property belonging to Abuja-based Green Lake International Limited.
The Minister and the FCDA were sued alongside another company, Lodigiani Nigeria Limited, over the disputed ownership of the property located in the Maitama District of Abuja.
The property is identified as Plot 2786, Cadastral Zone A06, Maitama, Abuja, and is covered by Certificate of Occupancy No. Ia60w-1566c-6723r-10220-20, dated 29th September 2006.
The plaintiff, in the suit marked FCT/HC/ABJ/CV/416/2024, is claiming one billion naira against the Minister and the two other defendants as compensation for alleged trespass on the property.
In the suit filed by Lydia Anenga of the Reuben Atabo SAN law firm in Abuja, Green Lake Company is seeking an order from the High Court to set aside the purported revocation of the property carried out in 2006.
Green Lake also prayed for the court to nullify the Certificate of Occupancy No. Ia60w-1566c-6723r-10220-20, dated 29th September 2006, which was issued by the Minister and FCDA to Lodigiani Nigeria Limited while a suit on the property was still pending.
In its statement of claims, Green Lake stated that the property was initially allocated by the FCDA to Lodigiani on November 20, 1990, but was revoked by the FCDA on October 22, 1997, due to Lodigiani’s failure to develop the plot.
The plaintiff claimed that, after the property was revoked from Lodigiani, it was allocated in 1997 to a company, Aso Plaza, by the Minister and FCDA, with Certificate of Occupancy No. FCT/ABU/MISC/15,255.
In 2006, Green Lake stated that it acquired Aso Plaza’s interest in the property and subsequently applied for re-certification of the Certificate of Occupancy. A new certificate, No. Ia60w-1566c-6723r-10220-20, was issued on September 29, 2006, and all statutory payments were made with receipts issued.
Green Lake claimed it enjoyed possession of the property until May 22, 2009, when the FCT Minister and FCDA, through a document, revoked the property and reverted the title to Lodigiani.
The plaintiff is seeking a court declaration affirming it as the lawful owner, occupier, and user of the property, with the right to expel trespassers.
It also asked the court to declare that the purported revocation of the property by the Minister and FCDA is illegal, unlawful, null, and void, and of no effect whatsoever.
The plaintiff is demanding that the Minister, FCDA, and Lodigiani be ordered to pay one billion naira in damages for unlawful trespass and for the unlawful revocation of its property while the suit was pending.
Meanwhile, the hearing for the suit has been scheduled for November 19 before Justice M.A. Hassan.