UBA cooperative society battles RCCG over Ogun land

WITH the institution of a court case, the battle line between the United Bank of Africa (UBA) Co-operative Multi-purpose Society Ltd and the Incorporated Trustees of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) over an expanse of land measuring 30.763 acres, in Ewu Odofin Village, Sagamu Local Government, Ogun State has been drawn.

At the moment, the bankers’ cooperative, which is accusing the bank of disobeying court, had commenced a suit pressing a sum of N150 million damages against the church.

The claimant/applicant, UBA Co-operative in the suit filed through its lawyer, Yemi Omodele alleged that the church (RCCG) had disobeyed an order, which restrained her, her agents, servants and representatives from carrying out or continuing to carry out any form of construction on the said disputed landed property.‎

The applicant claimed that the disputed landed property with survey plan No: OG/854/2013/60 drawn by K.A Lawal (Registered Surveyor) dated October 31, 2013 located and situated at Ewu Odofin Village, off Shimawa Road, Sagamu Local Government Area of Ogun State belong to them.

The plaintiff stated that the land in dispute was legitimately purchased from the Olowoto-Olisa chieftaincy family of Ewu-Odofin Village, pursuant to a deed of assignment dated December 12, 2014. It was added that the defendant/respondents are merely using their influence to over ride the claimant thereby taking the laws into their hand.

However, trial judge, Justice E.O. Osinuga had in a ruling restrained RCCG and its agents to stop working on the said land, but held that the claimant was liable to payment of damages in the sum of N500,000 to RCCG, if it turned out that the court ought not to have granted the order.

But the claimant alleged that agents of the defendant, sometimes last year, unlawfully invaded the site and demolished, among other things, the perimeter fence, security house, 10 buildings under construction, three boreholes and water tanks, all estimated at N30.6m, belonging to members of the cooperative society.

The society said it was not aware of any existing dispute over the land before purchasing it last year, noting that, a preliminary check was conducted at the Ogun State Lands Registry in Abeokuta before making payment showed that the land belonged to the Olowoto-Olisa chieftaincy family.
The claimant’s lawyer, Omodele, had contended that the alleged demolition of his clients’ property was unlawful, done in bad faith and asked the court to declare same as illegal and unconstitutional.

He had sought a declaration of the court that his client was the legitimate owner of the land.
The claimant further sought for an order of the court compelling the defendant to restore the demolished property and pay damages in the sum of N150m.

Justice Osinuga in the interlocutory injunction restrained RCCG from going ahead with any construction work on the land. The Judge noted that though the church was served with all the court papers, it however failed to respond or enter any appearance in court. The court said it would not go into the merit of the case.

However, when contacted, the RCCG legal adviser, Mr. Ayodele Oladeji, said the plaintiff position was not correct. According to him,” The only injunction I knew was that of UBA Cooperative and it was by default. What they (Chief Olorunjuwonlo Bankole Otasanya who sued for himself and on behalf of Otasanya Bakole Family of Alahun Village, Sagamu Ogun State) are doing, using the newspaper to state their position is unethical. If they think they have case, they should go to court. As far as I am concerned, I am not aware of any injunction,” he said