2 Allottees Sue FCT Minister, FCDA For Land Seizure

Justice Baba Sani of an FCT High Court, Apo, has fixed May 25 for hearing on alleged land seizure against the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammed Bello, and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).

Sani fixed the date following the absence of the minister’s counsel, Mr C. Nwaji, when the case came up for hearing.

Sani adjourned the matter until May 25, for hearing and ordered for hearing notice to be served on the defendants.

At the resumed hearing of the matter, counsel for the claimants, Mr John Godwin, informed the court that he had properly filed and served the defendants, yet they were not in court.

“My Lord, the defendants have been served with our writ of summons and the hearing notice of the case for today, but unfortunately they are not here.

“Although we have not been served with their reply and/or counter, I think it will be better if the case is adjourned in the interest of justice,” Godwin said.

The two aggrieved land allottees, Messers Ahmed Musa and Rasheed Musa, had dragged the minister to court over the alleged seizure of their plots of land by the FCDA.

The allottees/claimants alleged that the minister and the FCDA moved to seize their lands situated at Mpape “D”, Bwari Area Council, Abuja.

They are demanding N500 million as general damages from the defendants over what they described as an “act of trespass”.