Firm Alleges Lagos is Selling Abraham Adesanya Estate Land against Court Ruling

By Bennett Oghifo

A firm, Corporate Finance Group, has advised members of the public and particularly banks and mortgage providers to avoid land sale being promoted by the Lagos State Ministry of Housing and some companies at Abraham Adesanya Estate, Ajah Lagos, because there is a pending law suit on the land at the Court of Appeal, Lagos.

According to Corporate Finance Group, the Lagos State Government engaged them to build Millennium Homes in two sites; Gbagada and Abraham Adesanya Estate and that these sites were covered by a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O).

They said the contract was later terminated, wrongfully, and they challenged it in court and won.

Dissatisfied, the Lagos State Government went to the Appeal Court where the case is pending. But, according to CFG, despite the judgement they got and subsequent appeal, the Lagos government had gone ahead to re-award the contract and is selling the land, prompting them to release a scam alert to warn the public, financial institutions and mortgage providers not to deal in that land.

The Lagos State Ministry of Housing told THISDAY, at the weekend, they were aware of CFG’s statement and had referred the matter to the Lagos State Ministry of Justice for further action. “I may not be able to comment on it because the matter has been taken to the Ministry of Justice,” said a senior official of the housing ministry.

Meanwhile, CFG Developers said in its statement titled, ‘SCAM ALERT‼️ SCAM ALERT‼’, that “The attention of the general public, in particular, Banks and Mortgage Providers, is drawn to a Real Estate Scam inside Abraham Adesanya Estate Ogombo-Ajah,” where it alleged that the Lagos State Ministry of Housing and some companies “are building illegally and fraudulently, specifically trying to sell land in the same location.”

The statement said, “Members of the public and Financial Institutions, are hereby advised and warned to refrain from purchasing and financing property from Abraham Adesanya Estate with the listed companies, as there is a High Court Judgment against Lagos State Ministry of Housing, case No; LD/566/06. The matter is currently active in the Court of Appeal under case No; CA/L/20/2015. The Certificate of Occupancy of Abraham Adesanya Estate is under a lien and pledged as collateral in this case. Any occupation of the land will be seen as trespassing. Financiers and buyers are hereby warned to beware of official 419 and authority stealing.”
The Group presented an Order granting injunction in favour of CFG, stating that “Despite case been in court with injunction and the C of O in custody trust with collateral; the impunity of Lagos state going ahead to illegally and fraudulently rearward the contracts.”

On 16th March 2021, solicitor to Corporate Finance Group Limited, Professor Babatunde Kasunmu, Esq., wrote about the matter in court to Urban Shelter Nigeria Limited, El Salem Nigeria Limited, Lega Nigeria Limited, and Dot Dot Nigeria Limited, titled, RE:CA/L/20/2015- Lagos State Government & 3 Others Vs Corporate Finance Group Limited & Another.

“We act as solicitor to Corporate Finance Group Limited, herein referred to as our client and write to inform you of the ongoing dispute between them and the Lagos State Government over the land at Abraham Adesanya, Ajah, Lagos covered by Certificate of Occupancy dated 16th July 2002 and registered as No: 46 at page 46 in Volume 2002E.

“Our client on the 11th of July 2014 obtained judgment against the Lagos State Government in suit No: LD/566/2006 wherein it was declared that the termination of the contract between our client and the Lagos State Government during the pendency of the action in Court was null and void.

“The contract terminated during the pendency of suit No: LD/566/2006 instituted by our client against the Lagos State Government was the contract for the development of the Millennium Housing Scheme in Gbagada and Abraham Adesanya Ajah, Lagos. The Lagos State Government dissatisfied with the judgment of the trial Court filed appeal CA/L/20/2015 referred to above.

“We have been informed by our client that the land at Abraham Adesanya, Ajah, Lagos which forms part of the subject matter in suit No: LD/566/2006 (now on appeal) was allocated to your company to develop during the pendency of the dispute in Court and in total disregard of the judgment obtained by our client.

“There is pending in the Court of Appeal a Motion for Interlocutory Injunction which seeks to restrain you and the Lagos State Government from continuing to develop the land in dispute. Your continued presence and occupation of the land in dispute also constitutes an act of trespass.

“Although you are not directly named in the matter on appeal, the application pending in the Court of Appeal seeks to restrain the Lagos State Government their agents, affiliates, privies officials, contractors, joint development partners, successors or assigns and more particularly the companies named in the schedule to this motion from continuing any further construction on the land at Abraham Adesanya, Ajah Lagos covered by Certificate of Occupancy dated 16th July 2002 and registered as No: 46 at page 46 in Volume 2002E pending the determination of the pending appeal. A copy of the motion is attached.

“Take note that once a dispute has arisen between a person and the government or authority and the dispute has been brought before the Court, it is the duty of government to allow the law to take its course or all the judicial process to run its full course.

“We trust you will seek legal advice on this matter and also refrain from doing anything to render a fait accomplice on the pending application for Interlocutory Injunction.”