The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Bello, yesterday told a Federal High Court, Abuja, that the daughter of former President Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua, Zainab allegedly forged several land documents in Abuja.
Zainab through her company, Marumza Estate Development Company Limited had dragged Itban Global Resources Limited, Haliru Malami, FCT Minister and FCDA before the court, claiming ownership of plot 506, Zone B 09, Kado District, Abuja.
She claimed she purchased the land from the FCDA through Itban Global Resources and one Haliru Malami.
Minister and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) who are 3rd and 4th defendants in the suit denied ever allocating any plot of land to the plaintiff.
The Minister maintained that there was nothing to show that the plaintiff ever applied for land in the FCT or made any payment officially or otherwise to FCDA to enable her entitled to own any land in Abuja.
The defendants, through their counsel, Mr Yakubu Abubakar, informed the court that Zainab claimed ownership of the plot of the Abuja land through a Power of Attorney which the donor, one Haliru Malami later disowned as purported land.
They claimed Zainab had allegedly given conflicting accounts of how the land was purportedly acquired through a former Minister of the FCT as well as acquisition by way of purchase from the 1st defendant.
They stated that the 1st defendant who allegedly sold the land, issued a letter on March, 4, 2021, denying ever selling the land and ever issuing Power of Attorney to the plaintiff.
The defendants argued that there was nothing in the records of their Department of Land Administration and the Abuja Geographic Information System, indicating that the plaintiff paid any money whether official or otherwise in respect of the land, adding that their review of events revealed that the registration of the purported Power of Attorney was irregular.
The 3rd and 4th defendants further claimed that upon the discovery that the plaintiff was laying claim to the plot of land through irregular documents, they voided and set aside a Certificate of Occupancy purportedly obtained from FCDA.
They, therefore, asked the court to dismiss the case of the plaintiff with cost because she is not entitled to any claim in the originating summons.
Meantime, Justice Olukayode Adeniyi, adjourned till December 15 and 16 for a definite hearing of the matter.
In the charge sheet marked CV/1270/2021, Ms Zainab claimed that the plot of land was donated to her through an Irrevocable Power of Attorney executed at the Federal Capital Development Authority FCDA by Itban Global Resources Limited through a purchase.
She prayed the court to order the 1st defendant, Itban, who had allegedly given an “irrevocable power of attorney” over the disputed property to surrender the land to her firm.
She added that having been issued with an irrevocable power of attorney on the plot of land, Itban Global Resources Limited had transferred its interest in the land to her own company, Marumza Estate Development Company Limited.
The claimant urged the court to make an order compelling Itban Global Resources Limited, 1st defendant and its directors including Alhaji Malami (2nd defendant) to execute within 72 hours of the delivery of judgment on the matter, a “Deed of Assignment in favour of her company.