The absence of attorneys in the lawsuit against Senator Iyabo Obasanjo and others concerning a property in Abuja led to a delay in proceedings on Monday at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The hearing, which was scheduled for mention before Justice Mohammed Umar, could not take place for the second consecutive time.
When the case was called, neither the counsel for the plaintiffs nor that for the defendants was present in the courtroom.
Consequently, the court adjourned the matter until June 10 for further mention.
According to reports from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Justice Umar had set March 30 as the date for this hearing following the previous absence of legal representatives in court.
NAN noted that a similar postponement occurred on October 2, 2025, when the hearing could not go on.
Abniyilo Na’allah, representing the plaintiffs, requested an adjournment owing to the failure to serve the defendants, as no lawyer had appeared for them.
The plaintiffs in this case, ABB Electrical Systems Limited and Ambassador Yohana Margif, alleged a dispute over a land property against Senator Obasanjo and several co-defendants.
The disputed property is located at Plot 4254, Cadastral Zone A04, covering about 1.67 hectares in the Asokoro District of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
Other defendants listed in the suit include Philip Aduda, a former senator for the FCT; Ismail Iron; John Mbata; Jamaila Sani Alhassan; Altine Jibrin; and several individuals identified as defendants two through seven.
The case was previously overseen by Justice Inyang Ekwo.
On January 28, 2025, Justice Ekwo denied an ex-parte request made by the plaintiffs through Na’allah, who sought an interim injunction preventing the defendants from entering, altering, or trespassing on the property known as Plot 4254, Cadastral Zone A04.
Instead, the judge instructed the plaintiffs to notify the defendants so that they could present their side regarding the request.
The plaintiffs had submitted the application marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/67/2025, dated January 13 and officially filed on January 17 by Na’allah.
In their application, the plaintiffs articulated concerns regarding the potential for the defendants to trespass and alter the land, asserting their ownership based on a statutory Right of Occupancy.
They asserted that they have been peacefully and quietly in possession of the property without any challenges from the defendants.
The plaintiffs contended that allowing the defendants to interfere with the property would result in serious injustice against them, making any court decision ineffective.
They further argued that irreparable harm would occur if the defendants were not restrained from their activities.
Margif stated in an affidavit that the first plaintiff was allocated the land by the Federal Capital Development Administration (FCDA) and possesses a Statutory Right of Occupancy issued on May 23, 2006.
He indicated that the company plans to develop the land following the conditions set forth in the statutory Right of Occupancy and other relevant regulations within the FCT.
He expressed concerns about recent actions taken by the defendants, including Senator Obasanjo, who served in the Ogun Central Senatorial District from 2007 to 2011.
Margif urged the court to grant their application in pursuit of justice.
NAN also reported that on January 26, the case faced setbacks when no legal representatives attended the Federal High Court, leading to both parties being unrepresented on the cause list numbered seven for that day.
Comments (0)
You must be logged in to comment.
Be the first to comment on this article!