Land: Court reserves ruling in suit against FCT minister

The plaintiffs, who are from Lugbe community, reside in Tudun Wada and Sauka Kauta villages along the Airport Road, an outskirt of Abuja.In their statement of claim filed by their counsel, Messrs Bala Dakum and John Ainetor, they said that the minister had illegally allocated their houses to Anarock Global Concepts Ltd.They also alleged that […]

The plaintiffs, who are from Lugbe community, reside in Tudun Wada and Sauka Kauta villages along the Airport Road, an outskirt of Abuja.
In their statement of claim filed by their counsel, Messrs Bala Dakum and John Ainetor, they said that the minister had illegally allocated their houses to Anarock Global Concepts Ltd.
They also alleged that the estate developer had gone ahead to mark their houses for demolition and had also carried out construction work on their property in the village.
The plaintiffs had prayed the court to grant an order restraining the defendants from further demolishing any property in the community, pending the determination of the substantive suit.
Joined in the suit were the Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA and the Director, Development Control of the FCDA.
Ruling earlier, Justice Angela Otaluka had on September 14, 2012, granted an order for an interlocutory injunction restraining all parties in the suit to maintain the status quo, till final determination of the suit.
However, while the substantive suit was yet to be determined, the plaintiffs’ counsel claimed, the property developer went ahead to unlawfully put up structures on their clients’ property.
In a motion on notice filed on Oct. 17, the plaintiffs, therefore, urged the court to join the property developer as a party to the suit.
Otaluka then adjourned the case to enable the court deliver ruling on the issue of jurisdiction and on whether to join the real estate firm as a party in the suit. (NAN)