Arraignment of Businessman, Firm Stalls in Ikoyi Property Row

Wale Igbintade

The arraignment of a businessman, Alhaji Hameed Kasumu, and his company, Kings County Property Investment Limited, on charges of forcible entry, unlawful possession, and conspiracy was stalled yesterday at the Lagos State High Court, Tafa Balewa Square, after the defendants failed to appear in court over a dispute involving Plot 15, Alexander Avenue, Ikoyi, Lagos.

The case arose from a petition by Muhammadu Dahiru Wada, who accused Kasumu and his company of unlawfully occupying his property.

When the matter came up before Justice Abdul-Raheem Tejumade Muyideen, the prosecutor, Igile Oju, informed the court that the defendants had been duly served but failed to appear.

“We have filed a five-count charge against the defendants. The proof of service is before the court. They are aware of the charge, and I do not know why they are not here,” Oju told the court.

However, defence counsel, Mr. Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, disputed the claim, insisting that Kasumu was outside the court’s jurisdiction and had not been properly served.

He added that the defence had filed a preliminary objection challenging the court’s jurisdiction.

“We filed the application dated November 5, 2025, and served the prosecution in court. The subject matter concerns land allocated to the second defendant and has been litigated before. Where jurisdiction is being challenged, the physical presence of the first defendant is not mandatory,” Adegboruwa argued.

Justice Muyideen read a proof of service dated October 15, 2025, which indicated that the charge was served on one Mrs. Ruth.

The prosecutor confirmed that Mrs. Ruth worked at the office of the first defendant, who owns the second defendant’s company.

After reviewing submissions, the Judge held that proper service had not been effected on the first defendant, though it could be deemed sufficient for the company.

The prosecutor then requested an adjournment to regularize service.

The court granted the request and adjourned the matter to January 13, 2026, for the hearing of the preliminary objection.

The Inspector-General of Police (IG) filed a five-count charge (LD/26902C/2025) against Kasumu and his firm, alleging conspiracy, forcible entry, unlawful possession, and intimidation relating to the Ikoyi property.

The defendants allegedly conspired to trespass, intimidate, and unlawfully occupy property legally owned by Wada between 2021 and 2023. The charge also accuses them of conduct likely to cause fear and breach of peace.

A police investigation report dated April 23, 2025, revealed that Kasumu’s company had previously obtained a court judgment regarding Plot 16, Alexander Avenue, but allegedly extended enforcement to Plot 15, which belongs to Wada.

A verification report from the Surveyor-General of the Federation confirmed that Plots 15 and 16 are distinct parcels of land, separated by approximately 306 metres. The IGP Monitoring Unit consequently ordered the withdrawal of police officers from Plot 15, stating that the force should not be used to enforce private property interests.

Records also show that Kings County Property Investment Limited had earlier challenged the revocation of Plot 16 before the Lagos State High Court, TBS Lands Division, in Suit No: LD/8305LMW/2019, where it secured judgment granting it possession of that plot.