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From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
Officials of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) have demolished multi -million structures located within the high-brow River Park Estate against a subsisting court order.
The officials, who were accompanied by the police and other security personnel, stormed the estate and pulled down buildings to foundation levels, in total disobedience to a subsisting court order.
Justice Mohammed Zubairu of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Jikwoyi-Kurudu, had on September 17, granted an injunctive order restraining officials of FCDA from entering inside the estate to do anything untoward, pending the hearing and determination of a suit against the FCDA.
Two property developers, Jonahcapital Nigeria Ltd and Houses For Africa Nigeria Ltd, had sued the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and the FCDA, in respect of dispute over ownership of the estate.
Justice Zubairu had, after hearing a motion exparte dated and filed on September 11, with motion no: M/11417/2025, moved by Anthony Malik (SAN), granted the application of the plaintiffs/applicants as prayed, which had sought leave of the court to apply for a judicial review by way of certiorari to set aside and/or quash the proceedings, report and recommendations of the Ministerial Committee set up by the FCT minister on the issues affecting River Park Estate Lugbe, Abuja,
Specifically, the court ordered that the grant of the above relief, supra, shall operate as a stay of action or proceedings in respect of, or in connection with the implementation of the report of the Ministerial Committee.
It was reliably gathered that Malik Amzat, a staff of Ghanaians and the CSO to the FCT Minister, conducted the FCDA demolition team, policemen and Civil Defence personnel rounded the estate and showed them the structures belonging to the Nigerian owners, which they demolished.
Onlookers expressed concern that despite the directive of the Inspector General of Police, stopping the police from interfering in land matters, men of the Nigerian Police aided the demolition exercise carried out despite a court order.
Even with the “status report” of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), removing the alleged forged documents in its database and subsequently confirming the real directors and owners of Jonahcapital and Houses For Africa Nigeria Ltd, two companies linked to River Park Estate, residents wondered why the FCT minister was claiming that the companies belong to Ghanaians.
A resident, who identified himself as Emmanuel, said that yesterday’s exercise was another round of demolition in the estate carried out as a result of the CAC report, which has further aggravated their fury.
Another resident, Mallam Musa wondered why the FCT minister, who is supposed to be neutral, has now taken sides with the Ghanaians to destroy an estate owned by a Nigerian.
As of the time of filing this report, the demolition bulldozers, FCDA officials and security operatives were at Cluster One, where the multi billion Naira Margaret Lawrence University Teaching Hospital Cancer Centre, which they demolished months ago, was under reconstruction.
Last Friday, the demolition team was prevented by the University’s security staff and some placard-carrying residents, who locked the entrance gate, thereby denying them access into the cancer centre.
Mrs Bisi, a resident of the estate and a council member of Margaret Lawrence University, told newsmen that it was bizarre to see Development Control bulldozers closing in on the Cancer Centre during unofficial time of 6pm, last Friday.
“When all these started, we were advised to go to court, which we did. We got an order for the judicial review of the Ministerial Committee report.
“For good fortune purposes, we wrote a letter to the Director, Development Control (AMMC) on December 9, titled, “Warning Against Contempt of Court and Notification of True Directorship of Jonahcapital/River Park Estate.
“We showed them a copy of the letter and the order of Justice Mohammed Zubairu of the High Court of the FCT, made on September 17.
“Unfortunately, today, this evening around past 6pm, we saw FCDA people come with bulldozers with different security personnel to our gate and were even telling us that we must open our gate for them to come and conduct demolition inside the estate,” Ukawugo stated.
Also speaking, Prof. Samuel Asala, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Margaret Lawrence University, expressed dismay that the FCDA officials were coming to pull down, an institution where Nigerian students are being trained as medical doctors.
“They came in through the side of the other gate around after 6pm. Considering the issue at stake and the demolition they did before, they came to follow up on what they had done before, which was to demolish part of our teaching hospital.
“Teaching hospital is where the University trains students and if that is demolished, it’s just setting everything back.
“These students are going to be trained for Nigerians, not just for the owner of the University, but for Nigerians as a whole.
“And for us, anything that leads to destruction of property that is ongoing, is actually setting the University and the training of doctors and health services in Nigeria, way back,” the Deputy Vice Chancellor said.
Prof. Asala said the Development Control did not even notify the University that they were coming.
The protracted ownership feud of River Park Estate climaxed when the Nigerian Police, in June, preferred a 26-count charge against a Nigerian lawyer, Abu Arome and three Ghanaians, namely Sam Jonah, a Knight of British Empire (KBE), Kojo Ansah, Victor Quainoo and a company, Mobus Property Nigeria Ltd.
The accused persons were billed for arraignment at High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Gwarimpa in August 2025, before the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, directed that the case file be transferred to his office.
The charge marked CR/402/2025, dated June 25, but filed on June 26, was endorsed by Isa Garba, prosecuting counsel, legal/prosecution section, Force headquarters, Abuja.
However, while the AGF was reviewing the case file, the FCT minister set up a Ministerial Committee which set aside the police final investigation report and forensic report upon which the Ghanaians and their Nigerian lawyer were charged to court and fronted the Ghanaians as owners of the estate.
