The family of the late Chief MKO Abiola yesterday issued a warning to occupants of a large expanse of land measuring 400 acres at Ayobo, Lagos, belonging to the late business mogul.
The occupants of the land located at Igbo-Ilogbo, Ayobo, were given a five-week ultimatum to either quit the property or reach out to the family’s solicitors or administrators and head of the family.
At a news briefing yesterday at the Lagos Council secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), jointly addressed by the head of the Abiola family, Chief Muritala Abiola and one of the deceased’s children, Alhaji Olalekan Abiola, the family notified the public and occupants of the land that a court judgment execution carried out by the family was not meant to inflict hardship on citizens, but to protect the interest and legacies of their late patriarch.
They claimed that the exercise had the consent and authority of the Abiola family following a court judgment in favour of the family.
The duo, in a document signed by the family, said: “This is to notify the public that the entire family, estate, children and beneficiaries to the estate of the late Chief MKO Abiola are aware, consented and authorised the execution of judgment of the Honourable Justice W. Ajao Oshodi of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja, dated 11th November, 1988 in suit No. ID/155/86 between Radio Communication Nigeria (RCN) and Adisa Bada and Ors., and also the Court of Appeal judgment dated 14th April, 2000 in Suit No. CA/L/199/1994, the lead judgment as read by Honourable Justice George Oguntade of the Court of Appeal, Lagos (as he then was) and the revalidation of the said judgment in Suit No. ID/155/86 by the Honourable Justice O. A. Ogala (Mrs.) of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja in the ruling of 4th July, 2018.”
The judgment, they said, borders on the expanse of land delineated in survey plan No. RA/144, dated March 1977 and covered by Deed of Conveyance dated 28th March 1977 and registered as No 24 at page 24 in volume 1620 of the Land Registry, Lagos.
Abiola said the expanse of land at Ayobo was bought by the late MKO Abiola, through one of his companies, RCN, but was encroached upon by speculators, who sold the land to unsuspecting individuals.
He said the late Chief MKO Abiola was the beneficial owner of the piece and parcel of land at Igbo-Ilogbo, Ayobo, Lagos by duly registered conveyance from customary owners. However, upon his incarceration and untimely death on July 7, 1998 and pursuant to the dichotomy and divergence interest in the family, some people went behind, swooped on the land, hijacked it and started selling to unknown occupiers without the consent and authorities from the family.
Abiola family fingered one ‘AL-Maaruf ‘, who they identified as “a land grabber”, as the person illegally selling the land to the public and that he had been spreading a campaign of calumny, claiming to have got the backing of Kola Abiola, the eldest son of the late MKO Abiola, to sell the land. The head of the family said that at no time did Kola Abiola give such directive.
Chief Murtala Abiola and Lekan Abiola said:” We, however, wish to inform the public, particularly the occupiers of the area concerned (both legal and illegal) that as much as we are interested and seeking justice against unlawful encroachment on our land, we, however, do not intend to make things difficult for anybody in the society, as that will no doubt negate the spirit with which Chief MKO Abiola laid down his life for all.
“We are, however, unmindful of the fact that some occupants might have derived their interest from RCN or other conglomerates and of the family. This interest we have notices of, but we will not hesitate to press further our right against those who have sought to take advantage of our loss and have trespassed on the land of our patriarch; on them we shall not relent.”
Abiola assured the public that acts reserved to be carried out by the family would be done in line with the legacies of his late father and in line with the law.
He called for the understanding of the public, saying the family did not intend to inflict any panic or disorderliness on the society.
