National Telescope national telescope newspaper
An Abuja-based law firm, representing Green Lake International Limited, has filed a N1 billion lawsuit against the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) over the alleged unlawful revocation of a property in Maitama, Abuja.
The lawsuit, filed at the FCT High Court (Case No. FCT/HC/ABJ/CV/416/2024), names the FCT Minister, FCDA, and Lodigiani Nigeria Limited as defendants. The property in dispute is located at Plot 2786, Cadastral Zone A06, Maitama District.
Green Lake International Limited claims ownership of the property, supported by a valid Certificate of Occupancy issued on September 29, 2006 (Certificate No. Ia60w-1566c-6723r-10220-20).
The plaintiff is seeking N1 billion in compensation for what it describes as unlawful trespass and the wrongful revocation of the property.
The suit was filed by Lydia Anenga of the Reuben Atabo (SAN) law firm. The plaintiff is asking the court to overturn the revocation order made in 2006 and declare null and void the transfer of the Certificate of Occupancy from Green Lake to Lodigiani Nigeria Limited while the dispute was still under legal consideration.
Green Lake International Limited asserts that the property was originally allocated to Lodigiani Nigeria Limited on November 20, 1990. However, due to Lodigiani’s failure to develop the property, the FCDA revoked its allocation on October 22, 1997.
Following the revocation, the plot was reallocated to another company, Aso Plaza, under a new certificate (Certificate No. FCT/ABU/MISC/15, 255) in 1997. In 2006, Green Lake International Limited acquired the rights to Aso Plaza’s interest in the property. The company then applied for re-certification of the Certificate of Occupancy and was issued a new one on September 29, 2006, after making all required payments.
However, Green Lake claims that on May 22, 2009, the FCT Minister and the FCDA revoked its ownership and transferred the property title back to Lodigiani Nigeria Limited, which it argues is illegal.
Green Lake International Limited is now seeking a declaration from the court affirming its ownership of the property, alongside a request for the removal of any trespassers. The firm is also asking the court to declare the revocation of its title by the Minister and FCDA as “illegal, null, and void.”
In addition to the N1 billion in damages, Green Lake seeks compensation for the alleged trespass and a restoration of its rightful title to the property.
Justice M. A. Hassan of the FCT High Court has scheduled the hearing for November 19, 2024.
This legal battle highlights ongoing disputes over property ownership and title revocations in Abuja, with companies and individuals alike raising concerns about the fairness of such decisions.
