VIOLATION OF COURT ORDER: AMCON'S Conduct Should Be Reviewed, Victory Park Estate Tells FG, Lagos Govt ~ PressTv

By Wale Abydeen | LAGOS

A call has been made to the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Lagos state government and all other necessary stakeholders to intervene in the disputed property which seems to be threatening the lives of some law abiding Nigerians. The call was made following the seizure of some plots of land within Victory Park Estate in Igbokushu araea of Lekki, Lagos state by the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON, the estate owners association has urged all tiers of government to wade into the matter. This is even as they alleged that AMCON violated court orders by selling the disputed plots and called for a review of their conduct while adding that the association runs the risk of losing their life savings. Speaking to journalists during a press conference organized by the Association of Victory Park Estate Bare-land Owners in Lagos on Tuesday, the Managing Partner, Pistis Partners law firm, Mayowa Owolabi, representing some of the affected members of the association, revealed that the association acquired several plots of land within the estate from a company called Knight Rook Limited through an affiliated company called Grant Properties Limited in 2002. Owolabi noted that the claimants upon acquiring the land, proceeded to register the title deeds at the land registry, paid all registrations fees and statutory charges and thereafter procured Governor’s consent. According to him, one Lanre Olaoluwa in 2017, placed a signage on the perimeter fence around the estate indicating that AMCON was entitled to take possession of some plots of land within the estate based on the orders of the Federal High Court made on the 16th June, 2016 in Suit No: FHC/AB/CS/69/2016 – AMCON v Havilah Villas Limited & 10 Ors and Suit No: FHC/L/CS/744/2017- AMCON v Knight Rook Limited & 5 Ors. “ Following an investigation, our members discovered that the said Lanre Olaoluwa was purportedly appointed by AMCON as the Receiver Manager of Knight Rook Limited and Grant Properties Limited, to take over both companies and their assets due to their indebtedness to some banks, claiming that the debts has been assigned to AMCON. “However, it was discovered that the referenced judgment did not confer ownership of the respective plots of land to AMCON, the said judgment which stated that one hectare was to be seized and not 49 hectares ( which stands for all the plots of land in question). Members of the association (about 100 affected persons) had filed several suits since 2016 which are still pending before the High Court of Lagos state.The land owners were however surprised that despite the on going litigation, AMCON has allegedly continues to sell the disputed plots and it has practically encouraged the new buyers to carry out construction work on the land”. This, Owolabi said, is carried out in violation of the doctrine of pending legal action and subsisting orders of injunction while adding that the action taken by AMCON is detrimental to the members of the association’s life savings. The association thereby “call on the Federal Government and Lagos State government to review AMCON’s conduct by protecting the interests of Nigerians”. They stated that AMCON has to answer pertinent questions over its conduct as the identity of the new buyers is shrouded in secrecy. The land owners warns that AMCON “should allow the court to work because they are obliged to conduct their affairs in accordance with the tenets of the law. AMCON should not be seen taking steps tantamount to flagrant disregard for court orders and due process,” the association said.