Property Tussle: Court Clears Coast to Hear Suit against ex-NASS Clerk, Omolori

Alex Enumah in Abuja

A Gudu Upper Area Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has cleared the coast for hearing in a property tussle suit brought against former Clerk to the National Assembly, Alhaji Ataba Sani-Omolori by his siblings.

The plaintiffs, Nasir Sani-Omolori and Buhari Sani-Omolori, who are siblings of the former National Assembly Clerk had dragged Omolori before the court over his alleged inability to account for the family estate left behind by their father.

The plaintiffs, through their counsel, A.I. Mariri, in the court documents with suit number CV/114/2022l, prayed the court to invite the former NASS Clerk to account for the estate of their late father, Alhaji Muhammad Sani Omolori, who was a traditional ruler of Ebira land for 40 years.
Specifically, they accused their brother, Alhaji Ataba Sani-Omolori (Respondent/Defendant) of selling off parts of the property in Maitama, Katampe and Mabushi Districts of Abuja.

By the suit the plaintiffs are demanding for an equitable distribution of the property among all the 73 children of their late father.
At the resumed trial, Omolori had raised the issue of jurisdiction of the court to entertain the suit.
His lawyer, Mr. Chris Okoye, told the court that the plaintiffs do not have the locus standi to file the suit, arguing that proper parties in the suit were not before the court.

However, plaintiffs’ lawyer, Abdullahi Muhammed, in responding to the preliminary objection by the former NASS Clerk, insisted that his clients did not erred in filing the case, on the grounds that issues of jurisdiction does not apply to the instant case before the court.

“In Islamic law, you don’t talk about jurisdiction”, he said, a submission the other party’s lawyer admitted.
The claim of the plaintiffs is, “that late Alhaji Muhammad Sani Omolori died leaving behind wives and 73 children out of which are the applicants and the 2nd respondent/defendant (Alhaji Ataba Sani Omolori), who are also Muslims.
Subsequently the judge fixed February 7, for ruling.