Firm sues NAF, others over Ikoyi property

For allegedly violating its rights and illegally occupying its property, BCL Limited has fild a suit against the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) before a Federal High Court, Lagos over its property situated at No. 13B Reeves Road in Ikoyi.

The claimant in the suit delineated HC/LC/CS/1769/14, filed by Abubakar Sheidu and Co, the firm alleged that NAF forcefully ejected its employees and stopped its agents from re-development of the property which it had already commenced.

Aside NAF other respondents in the suit are the Chief of Air Staff, NAF Investment Limited, Commander 107 NAF Camp, Victoria Island Lagos, Federal Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development and the Secretary, Presidential Implementation Committee on Federal Government Landed Property.

The firm stated that armed personnel of the Nigerian Air Force have continued to occupy the said property in total violation of the rights of the lawful owner.

BCL limited claimed that it obtained the property in 2008 without encumbrances based on a memorandum of understanding and developmental lease signed between the company and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, acting on behalf of the Federal Government.

“The company made a total payment of N176,925,000 in full settlement for the leasehold. Despite several written proofs from the Presidential Implementation Committee of the White Paper on the Commission of Inquiry into the Alienation of Federal Government Landed Property, which handled the lease of the property on behalf of the federal government to support BCL’s claim, the NAF forcefully ejected BCL and stopped its agents from re-development of the property which it had already commenced.”

“NAF has continued to occupy the property refusing its lawful owner access in outright disregard of a letter by Secretary of the Presidential Implementation Committee part of which reads that, “the Federal Government property known as 13B Reeve Road was never at any time offered to the Nigerian Air Force…the property was never an institutional property for the Nigerian Air Force”, the firm claimed.

However, the NAF through its officers, Flying Officer Oluwaseun Afolabi and B. R. Ashiru, prayed the court to dismiss the case in its entirety.

Its statement of defence denies BCL’s claims. The respondents stated that they are not aware of any development regarding the lease agreement executed between BCL and the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development and also that they are not aware of any sum paid thereof and put the plaintiffs to the strictest proof thereof.

Justice Mohammed Idris has adjourned the matter to October 24, 2016.