The Federal High Court in Lagos has asked the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria to appear before it on July 3 to explain the circumstances leading to the demolition of a property at No 27. Femi Okunnu Street, Ikoyi, Lagos.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Babajide Koku, told Justice Ayokunle Faji that the building served as the residence of former British Governor-Generals in Nigeria, John Macpherson and Arthur Richards.
Koku said the property, which had been a subject of litigation, was pulled down with a bulldozer on June 12, 2020, despite the subsisting lawsuit on it.
He said, the demolition was carried out by an assignee of AMCON, notwithstanding the historical significance of the building.
The SAN said, “My Lord, the people that bought this property have pulled it down and they are erecting a new building on it as we speak.
“On June 12, a bulldozer was mobilised to the site, No 27, Femi Okunnu Street, Ikoyi, Lagos and it cleared everything there; now they are laying the foundation for another building.
“What impunity can be more than this? Despite that we are before My Lord and instead of everyone to wait for the outcome of this case, AMCON resorted to self-help.
“The last time something like this happened was during military erra in Odumegwu Ojukwu vs Lagos State.”
Koku prayed Justice Faji to make an order that an earlier preservative order of Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the same court be extended till when the matter was disposed of.
But AMCON’s counsel, Mrs Oladoyin Onanuga, opposed him on the grounds that granting the order would be prejudicial to AMCON.
Justice Faji adjourned till July 3 for AMCON to explain its alleged resort to self-help.
Culled from Punch
