By Emmanuel Ugwu in Umuahia
Â
Staffs of the federal ministry of information, Umuahia office have been sent on “forced leave†following the sealing of their office by the landlord over rent arrears totaling N1.8 million, spanning three years.
The landlord acted on a court order entered in suit No. U/314/2017 between Adizua Okorafor  vs Federal Ministry of information, in which the defendant failed to have any legal representation during the proceedings.
The federal information workers had reported for work only to discover that they no longer have an office as the owner of the building located at Azikiwe road Umuahia executed the court order which was issued by Chief Magistrate Israel Nwulu on February 19, 2018.
Head of the federal information office in Abia, Ms Edna Nkoro confirmed that the landlord had taken possession of the office and locked it up without allowing them to evacuate the office equipment. However she said that her superiors at the headquarters Abuja had been informed of the development, adding that they were already discussing with the landlord for amicable settlement.
He said the plaintiff through her attorney had tendered legal documents including letters of administration dated October 10, 2010 power of attorney, tenancy agreement and notice of rent increment to prove that the federal ministry of information had been defaulting in rent payments.
The magistrate also pointed out that the defendant was not here to cross examine any of the two witnesses who testified for the plaintiffs on October 19, 2017 and November 30, 2017, respectively.
He said that after the prosecution witness (pw 2), Okpan Chijioke, who is a senior bailiff concluded the case for the plaintiff by telling the court that he had on August 31, 2017 served the defendant seven days’ notice and later notice of owners intention and recover possession.
“The defendant was given time to defend the matter but of no avail,†he said and therefore ordered that the federal ministry of information should “deliver up possession of the 3-bedroom flat with the appurtenances on before the 28th day of February, 2018â€.
He also ordered that the defendant should pay arrears of rent of N660,000only being arrears of rent for the period of 12 months period covering April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017 at the rental of N55,000 interest paid by the defendant.
The ministry was furthered ordered to pay the sum of N150,000 from April 1, 2017 to August  31, 2017 (following the rent increment) and “mense profit†of N150,000 monthly from October 1, 2017 until possession is given up.â€
