A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Maitama has restrained the Minister of FCT, Bello Mohammed, Federal Capital Territory Administration, and Federal Capital Development Administration from further demolition of the palatial home of Abuja businessman, Prince Joseph Kpokpogri.
Other respondents restrained by the court includes; Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (4th Defendant), Federal Housing Authority (5th Defendant) and the Attorney General of the Federation (6th Defendant).
The order was made upon an ex parte application moved on behalf of Prince Joseph Kpokpogri by his lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome SAN, on Thursday.
The motion ex parte was brought pursuant to Order 43 Rule 3 of the FCT High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2018.
Justice Charles Agbaza, made an order of interim injunction restraining the defendants either by themselves, agents, officials, privies, all those purporting to have derived title from them or other persons howsoever called from trespassing on or further trespassing on, demolishing, or further demolishing the property known as Plots 203 and 204, 27 Road, Guzape District, Apo Estate, Abuja.
The property which is covered by letters of allocation issued by the Federal Housing Authority with Ref. No. FHA/BD/ES/APO/P.203 and Ref. No. FHA/BD/ES/APO/P.204 or from evicting the occupants of the said property or in any way interfering with the plaintiff’s exclusive right of possession of the said property pending the determination of the motion on notice.
The court also directed the applicant to serve processes in a respect of a motion on notice on all the Defendants before the next adjourned date of July 15.
By the motion on notice, the Plaintiff wants the court to the Defendants to pay him aggravated and general damages to the tune of over N2billion.
Kpokpogri, in an affidavit he deposed to in support of the motion stated that he is the beneficial owner and the person in exclusive possession of all that property known as Plots 203 and 204, 27 Road, Apo Estate, Abuja, covered by letters of allocation issued by Federal Housing Authority with Ref. No. FHA/BD/ES/APO/P.203 and Ref. No. FHA/BD/ES/APO/P.204 respectfully.
The deponent averred that he is entitled to the statutory right of occupancy and exclusive possession of the said plots, which he said were lawfully acquired from two separate individuals, Barr. Muyideen Obans and Mrs Alaba Akindele, who were the original allottees of the lands from the (AGF) 6th Defendant.
“The letters of allocation of the land to the original allottees dated the 14th of January, 2015 with Ref. No. FHA/BD/ES/APO/P.203 and Ref. No. FHA/BD/ES/APO/P.204, issued by the Federal Housing Authority, Abuja are hereby Exhibits A and Al respectively.
Kpokpogri said upon completion of the multi million naira building and at the celebration events marking the opening of the building, many staff of the 5th Defendant were there to celebrate with him.
