By Victor Okoye
The Akwa Ibom State government has been dragged before a High Court in Uyo, over allegations bordering on forceful takeover of a land measuring 1,805 hectares.
Serob Legends Resort Limited by the suit marked: HU/243/2024, is demanding a whopping N31 billion as compensation for damages suffered as a result of the forceful takeover of its land.
Besides the state government, other defendants include the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Ministry of Lands and Water Resources and the Attorney General of Akwa Ibom State and Commissioner for Justice.
One Mrs. Nsidem Etuk, who claims to be the owner of the property, had last year raised the alarm, accusing the state government of forceful takeover of the property.
The said property measuring approximately 1,805 hectares is located at the demarcated portion of NITEL Property at Dominik Utuk Avenue, formerly known as Brooks Street, Uyo
It would be recalled that Governor Umo Eno, had on February 1, 2025, performed the groundbreaking for the construction of a Security Command and Control Centre at the said portion of land.
The governor, during the ceremony also announced that the property would equally accommodate three other projects, including the Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation (AKBC) House; the Headquarters of the Akwa Ibom Investment Corporation (AKICORP); and the Akwa Ibom Geographical Information System (AkwaGIS) head office.
The arrangement by the state government assumes full ownership of the property, especially as the government did not pay attention to pleas by Mrs. Etuk since last year.
However, the claimant tendered various exhibits including; “Deed of Conveyance” to prove how it acquired the said property from NITEL Trustees Ltd (In Liquidation) through its Liquidator, Otunba Olusola Adekanola.
With a 52-paragraph Statement of Claim, 59-paragraph Witness Statement on Oath, and 17 list of documents attached, claimant is seeking: “A Declaration that the Claimants are the rightful owners of All that property measuring approximately 1.805 Hectares (18,504.00 sqm) situates at the Demarcated Portion of NITEL PROPERTY as contained in the Survey Plans being along Dominic Utuk Avenue, formerly known as Brooks Street, Uyo, Uyo Local Government, Akwa Ibom State, partly comprised in the Certificate of Occupancy No. 2/2/71 dated July 2, 2001, granted by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
It is the statement of the claimant that the defendants do not have any legal capacity, authority, or power, to forcibly enter, demolish, destroy, develop or takeover the Claimants’ parcel of land.
Claimant also asked the court to declare that the “Defendants’ acts of forcibly entering, violently destroying, callously demolishing and warful takeover of the Claimants’ parcel of land is unlawful, illegal, and ultra vires to Section 49(1) & (2) and 50(2) of the Land Use Acts, (1978) and all other applicable laws.”
While praying the court to declare the defendants’ action as unlawful, which amounts to trespass, the claimant asked for an Order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, from committing any further act of trespass whatsoever, and pay the sum of N1,000,000,000 only as exemplary damages.
Claimant also urged the court to award the sum of N30,120,050,000 as specific damages against the defendants in favour of the 2nd claimant for willful destruction and violent demolition of structures in the property.
