By Hammed Shittu
A Kwara State High Court in Ilorin yesterday restrained the state government from taking over ‘Ile-Arugbo’, the three plots of land and property belonging to late Abubakar Olusola Saraki.
Justice A.O Akinpelu gave the interim order in suit No: KWS/112/2021 filed by Asa Investment and one other against the state Governor, AbdulRazaq AbdulRahman, Kwara State House of Assembly, Attorney General of the state, the director-general of the state Bureau of Lands, and the Inspector General of Police (IG).
The court also restrained the state government from commencing any construction works on the said plots of lands pending the final determination of the case.
Recall that an earlier court judgement had given order to the state government to use the landed property for the construction of another phase of the state secretariat.
According to the court order, “The state high court in suit No: KWS/112/2021 filed by Asa Investment and one other against Governor AbdulRazaq AbdulRahman, the state House of Assembly, the state Attorney-General, the director-general of the state Bureau of Lands, and the IG, gave interim injunction restraining the defendants/respondents either by themselves, their officers/employees, servants, contractor/construction company.
Others restrained are the state government agents, privies or their successors in-title or any other person known or unknown claiming in trust or in contractual reference/services for the defendants/respondents from taking over possession or occupation and entering the plots of land in dispute in this suit with intention/desire to construct, build, erect or commence any type of building, office or structure on the plots number 1, 3 and 5 with TPS/MISC.129A survey plan No: KWSH927 and land G1071 situated, lying and at Ilofa Road, GRA Ilorin, Kwara State, beside Civil Service Clinic, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.
The court ordered further that: “An order of interim injunction mandating the defendants/respondents to maintain status quo ante bellum by not doing anything, including construction on plots number 1,2 and 5 with TPS/MISC.129A survey plan No: KWSH927 and land G1071 situated, lying and being at Ilofa Road, GRA Ilorin, Kwara State beside Civil Service Clinic, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”
