Businessman Recovers Lekki Home From ‘Trespasser’

A businessman, Mr Adedayo Mumuni Shittu, has recovered from an
“unknown individual”, his plot of land at Block B Plot 2 Victory
Park Estate Igbokushu, Lekki Phase I, Lagos, following a court
order.

The land, delineated by Survey No. DK/0332/014/20011/LA, is
registered at the Land Registry of Lagos State as No. 61, Page 61
Volume 2467.

Shittu’s lawyer, Ojumetor Agha of Pistis Partners LLP, said the
recovery which occurred at the weekend, was in execution of a Lagos
High Court injunction restraining a Receiver-Manager appointed by
the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) from
encroaching on the land.

Justice K. Jose had on October 24, 2019 dismissed AMCON’s notice
of preliminary objection and granted an interlocutory injunction in
favour of Shittu and More & S. A. More Ltd authorising them to
protect their interest in the property at Vicory Park Estate.

Dissatisfied, AMCON challenged the ruling with Shittu, More & S.
A. More Ltd, Knight Rook Ltd and Mr Lanre Olaoluwa as 1st to 4th
respondents in the suit marked CA/L/1266/2019.

But, on December 15, 2020, a three-man panel of the Court of
Appeal with Appeal Court President Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem
presiding, dismissed AMCON’s appeal and affirmed Justice Jose’s
grant of interlocutory injunction in Shittu’s favour.

Agha said following the discovery that an unknown individual was
attempting to seize Shittu’s property, he petitioned the Deputy
Inspector-General of Police, Force CID, Area 10 Garki, Abuja on
March 28, 2021, inviting the police to investigate the ‘Flagrant
disobedience of court orders, threat of violence, unlawful
interference’.

According to the petition, sometime in September 2017, AMCON
officials claimed ownership of plots in the estate and asked the
occupants to repurchase their plots. But Shittu’s plot was
spared.

He said Shittu discovered that the Receiver-Manager was
appointed “to take over the company which was our client’s
predecessor in title (Knight Rook Ltd) and its assets due to its
indebtedness to some banks. The said debt had been assigned to
AMCON.”

From August 2019, the Receiver-Manager required all owners of
plots, including Shittu, to repurchase the various plots which they
acquired in Victory Estate from Knight Rook Ltd.

Agha said: “Our client was constrained to commence a civil suit
against the aforementioned Receiver Manager at the High Court of
Lagos and subsequently obtained an order of injunction restraining
him from encroaching on the land.

“The aforementioned order was also affirmed by the Court of
Appeal in a judgment which was delivered on the 15th of December
2020.

“However, during a routine visit to the land on the 22 of March
2021, cur client discovered that some unknown persons had
encroached on the land and were about to commence construction work
on a foundation for a building.

“Consequently, we filed a petition against the said persons at
the Land Grabbers Task Force in Alausa on the 23rd of March 2021.
After processing the Petition, a stop work order was issued by the
task force directing the person to report to their office for
interrogation connected to our client’s pavilion.

“To our chagrin and utter dismay, the said persons have ignored
the directive and have continued with the construction work. These
persons also have some policemen stationed within the Estate who
are aiding their unlawful actions.”

Following the petition, Agha said, the police intervened and
Agha executed the court order and recovered possession of the
property.

A businessman, Mr Adedayo Mumuni Shittu, has recovered from an
“unknown individual”, his plot of land at Block B Plot 2 Victory
Park Estate Igbokushu, Lekki Phase I, Lagos, following a court
order.

The land, delineated by Survey No. DK/0332/014/20011/LA, is
registered at the Land Registry of Lagos State as No. 61, Page 61
Volume 2467.

Shittu’s lawyer, Ojumetor Agha of Pistis Partners LLP, said the
recovery which occurred at the weekend, was in execution of a Lagos
High Court injunction restraining a Receiver-Manager appointed by
the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) from
encroaching on the land.

Justice K. Jose had on October 24, 2019 dismissed AMCON’s notice
of preliminary objection and granted an interlocutory injunction in
favour of Shittu and More & S. A. More Ltd authorising them to
protect their interest in the property at Vicory Park Estate.

Dissatisfied, AMCON challenged the ruling with Shittu, More & S.
A. More Ltd, Knight Rook Ltd and Mr Lanre Olaoluwa as 1st to 4th
respondents in the suit marked CA/L/1266/2019.

But, on December 15, 2020, a three-man panel of the Court of
Appeal with Appeal Court President Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem
presiding, dismissed AMCON’s appeal and affirmed Justice Jose’s
grant of interlocutory injunction in Shittu’s favour.

Agha said following the discovery that an unknown individual was
attempting to seize Shittu’s property, he petitioned the Deputy
Inspector-General of Police, Force CID, Area 10 Garki, Abuja on
March 28, 2021, inviting the police to investigate the ‘Flagrant
disobedience of court orders, threat of violence, unlawful
interference’.

According to the petition, sometime in September 2017, AMCON
officials claimed ownership of plots in the estate and asked the
occupants to repurchase their plots. But Shittu’s plot was
spared.

He said Shittu discovered that the Receiver-Manager was
appointed “to take over the company which was our client’s
predecessor in title (Knight Rook Ltd) and its assets due to its
indebtedness to some banks. The said debt had been assigned to
AMCON.”

From August 2019, the Receiver-Manager required all owners of
plots, including Shittu, to repurchase the various plots which they
acquired in Victory Estate from Knight Rook Ltd.

Agha said: “Our client was constrained to commence a civil suit
against the aforementioned Receiver Manager at the High Court of
Lagos and subsequently obtained an order of injunction restraining
him from encroaching on the land.

“The aforementioned order was also affirmed by the Court of
Appeal in a judgment which was delivered on the 15th of December
2020.

“However, during a routine visit to the land on the 22 of March
2021, cur client discovered that some unknown persons had
encroached on the land and were about to commence construction work
on a foundation for a building.

“Consequently, we filed a petition against the said persons at
the Land Grabbers Task Force in Alausa on the 23rd of March 2021.
After processing the Petition, a stop work order was issued by the
task force directing the person to report to their office for
interrogation connected to our client’s pavilion.

“To our chagrin and utter dismay, the said persons have ignored
the directive and have continued with the construction work. These
persons also have some policemen stationed within the Estate who
are aiding their unlawful actions.”

Following the petition, Agha said, the police intervened and
Agha executed the court order and recovered possession of the
property.