Abacha Family’s N500m Suit Against Nigerian Govt Over Abuja Property Dismissed By Court Once Again

Abacha Family’s N500m Suit Against Nigerian Govt Over Abuja Property Dismissed By Court Once Again

A Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected a lawsuit brought by the family of late Head of State General Sani Abacha against the federal government……. CONTINUE READING 

The suit contested the government’s decision to revoke property owned by the former military ruler in Abuja’s Maitama District.

Justice Peter Lifu dismissed the case, ruling that it was filed too late and that the plaintiffs lacked the legal standing to bring the suit.

This marks the family’s fourth legal defeat regarding the property, having previously lost twice in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory and once in the Court of Appeal.

The property in question, located at Osara Close in Maitama, was originally subject to a Certificate of Occupancy issued in 1993 but was revoked in 2006. The Abacha family argued that the revocation was unlawful and sought its annulment, alongside compensation amounting to N500 million.

The defendants, including the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and Salamed Ventures Limited, countered that the suit was statute-barred and lacked merit.

The court upheld these objections and ordered the Abacha family to pay N500,000 as legal costs to Salamed Ventures Limited, which had purchased the property from the federal government.