FOR unlawfully ejecting one Alhaji Abdullahi Lawal from his
residence, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) is to
pay one million Naira as damages.
The Abuja High Court gave the order Monday in a judgment in a suit
filed by Lawal challenging his ejection from a house by officials of
FCTA.
Justice Salisu Garba also ordered that the sale of the house in
question to Lawal was still valid and subsisting and that he was the
rightful owner of the property.
Garba said that the purported re-allocation of the house to one Dr
Shehu Ahmed, the third defendant in the suit, was illegal.
Ahmed was ordered to vacate the house within two weeks from the date
of the judgment.
The court also ordered FCTA to issue the plaintiff a certificate of
occupancy in respect of the house, which he fully paid for.
"I declare the ejection illegal since there was no termination of
the contract and revocation of the property/title before the
ejection," Garba said.
Lawal filed the suit against the Minister of FCT, FCDA, Ahmed and
the Chairman, Ad hoc Committee on the sale of government property.
The plaintiff had applied and made necessary payments to acquire the
said apartment through the committee.
He received acknowledgement for the transaction from the committee.
Lawal's counsel, Mr Abang Odok-ogar, told the News Agency of Nigeria
(NAN) said the judgment was a clear demonstration of justice.
"This judgement has confirmed the belief that the judiciary is the
only hope of the common man.
"So, I advise any body seeking justice to come to the judiciary,"
Odok-Ogar said. |
