FG ordered to pay Ondo family N170m for illegal acquisition

An Ondo State High Court in Okitipupa Division has ordered the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs to pay a sum of N170m to the Kekemeke family of Agadagba Obon in Ese Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State following a land dispute between the two parties.

The family had approached the court in 2013 to challenge the ministry for illegally acquiring its 20 hectares of land which it (the ministry) had used to build a skill acquisition centre in the community

Upon the hearing of the evidence, the court formulated three issues for determination to wit: whether the claimants ( Kekemeke family) proved their title to the land in dispute. Whether the defendant showed that it followed due process in its acquisition of the said land and whether the claimants are entitled to all their reliefs.

After series of arguments by the counsel to the family, Mr. Uju Kekemeke and the defendant’s counsel, Mr. Isyaku Saleh, the court ruled in favour of the claimants.

In the judgment delivered by Justice Peter Ikujuni, the court ordered that N170m be paid to the Kekemeke family by the ministry as the open market value and amount due to the claimants as owners of the said land in Agadagba obon.

The court also ordered that 10 per cent interest per annum be paid on the judgment sum by the defendant from the date of judgment until the judgment is liquidated.

Leave a Reply

Verified by ExactMetrics