Family members of former governor of old Anambra State, the late Chief Christian Onoh, have instituted a N10m suit against the Enugu State Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ujam, and two others over the demolition of their father's property.
The others are the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority and its commissioner, Mr. Ekene Ugwuegede.
The PUNCH learnt on Sunday that the ECTDA demolished the property on June 18, 2013.
The property, currently managed by Karastan Company Limited, is located on plots 6-14, Ekulu West Layout, GRA, Enugu.
The plaintiffs – Karastan Company Limited and its Director, Mrs. Caroline Onoh – are praying the Enugu State High Court to restrain the defendants, their agents, or privies from further "interfering with or disturbing in any manner, whatsoever, their rights of ownership/possession of the plots that has certificate of re-validation dated June 12, 1985."
Caroline is the wife of the late governor.
The Onoh family is also seeking a declaration that the purported withdrawal of approval earlier granted them for introduction of parking space and realignment of a road on the property by the Commissioner in a letter dated March 20, 2013, had become null.
The family wants the court to declare as illegal, the invasion and destruction of the property registered in the Enugu Land Registry Office with power of attorney dated December 10, 2008, which is the subject of the suit.
Meanwhile, the court has not fixed any date for hearing of the matter.
The ECTDA last week pulled down the property with Ugwuegede, alleging that the property rested on a public road and obstructed other residents of the area.
However, the Managing Director of Karastan Company Limited, Dr. Josef Onoh, dismissed Ugwuegede's claim, insisting that the property met all due process.
The Punch