The executors of the estate of the late Mr. Olujimi Jolaoso have initiated contempt proceedings against the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) for allegedly evicting tenants from a property in Victoria Island, Lagos, despite an ongoing legal dispute over the property’s ownership.
The suit was filed on Wednesday at the Federal High Court in Lagos.
The plaintiffs, represented by their legal counsel, Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN), informed Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa that the tenants of the disputed property were forcibly removed, with their doors broken down during the eviction. Ayorinde argued that AMCON executed the eviction based on an ex parte order obtained from Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke on October 2, 2024, despite an interlocutory injunction granted by Justice Lewis-Allagoa on June 25, 2024, which restrained any actions concerning the property.
The plaintiffs in the contempt case, Marcellina Jolaoso and Bankole Jolaoso, are acting as executors of the estate of the late Mr. Olujimi Jolaoso. The defendants named in the suit include Safe Equip Nigeria Limited, AMCON, Mr. Gbenga Alade (Managing Director/CEO of AMCON), Mr. Aloyaius C. Ezenduka, and Mr. Robert Ohuoba.
The plaintiffs submitted court documents, including Form 48 (Notice of Consequences of Disobedience to Court Order) and Form 49 (Notice to Show Cause Why Order of Attachment Should Not Be Made), which our correspondent reviewed in court.
The legal dispute centers on the ownership of the Victoria Island property, which was allegedly used as collateral for an unpaid loan from First City Monument Bank (FCMB). The debt was later acquired by AMCON, following its mandate to recover non-performing loans.
The Jolaoso family contends that AMCON violated an interim court order by evicting the tenants while the case was still pending. They assert that the court had adjourned the substantive motion to October 3, 2024, with the defendants being fully aware of the ongoing litigation.
Despite this, the plaintiffs allege that AMCON secured an ex parte order from another judge of the Federal High Court, Lagos Division, on October 2, 2024, allowing them to take possession of the property. The following day, AMCON officials, accompanied by police officers, enforced the order, evicting the occupants and securing the property.
Justice Lewis-Allagoa adjourned the case to October 14, 2024, for hearing. The legal battle over the property continues, with both sides presenting their claims in court.