Maryam Abacha: Court Orders Takeover of Disputed Victoria Island Property

• Restrains firm from selling, transferring property pending suit

Wale Igbintade

The Federal High Court in Lagos has appointed a Receiver/Manager to take possession and control of a disputed property at No. 68 Molade Okoya Thomas Street, off Ajose Adeogun Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, in a suit filed by Mrs Maryam Sani Abacha against Levitikal Realties & Construction Limited.

Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa, in an interim order issued on September 29, 2026, restrained Levitikal Realties, its directors, agents, representatives, servants and persons acting through it from selling, transferring, assigning, mortgaging, leasing, charging, alienating or otherwise encumbering the property pending the hearing and determination of the applicant’s Motion on Notice for interlocutory injunction.

The order was made in Suit No. FHC/LAG/CS/1245/2026, in which Abacha is the Plaintiff/Applicant and Levitikal Realties & Construction Limited is the Defendant/Respondent.

The property is covered by a Certificate of Occupancy dated July 4, 1988, and registered as No. 32 at Page 32 in Volume 1988B of the Lands Registry Office, Lagos State.

The court’s intervention followed an ex-parte application filed by Abacha on September 10, 2026, through her counsel, Adedayo Adesina, SAN.

In addition to restraining the defendant from dealing with the property, Justice Lewis-Allagoa barred it from taking any step or carrying out any act calculated to interfere with, overreach, dissipate, assign, transfer, sell, alienate, encumber or otherwise prejudice the subject matter of the originating summons.

In a significant aspect of the order, the judge appointed the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court, or any officer of the court serving as Official Receiver, as Receiver/Manager to take possession, custody and control of the disputed property pending the hearing and final determination of the Motion on Notice.

Alternatively, the court approved the appointment of the property management company of Bola Adebule & Company, Estate Surveyors & Valuers, or any other fit and reputable property management firm registered with the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Agency, LASRERA, to take possession and control of the property.

Justice Lewis-Allagoa further restrained Levitikal Realties from representing or holding itself out to any third party as the owner of the property with the capacity to sell, transfer, mortgage, lease, alienate or otherwise encumber it.

The order arose against the backdrop of a Notice of Dispute and Request for Mediation and/or Arbitration dated September 7, 2026, concerning the property.

The dispute reportedly originated from a joint venture arrangement for the development of a high-rise property on the site.

According to the account contained in the court processes, the landowner subsequently terminated the joint venture agreement over alleged fundamental breaches by the developer, Levitikal Realties & Construction Limited.

The court processes further indicate that the dispute has generated parallel legal and alternative dispute-resolution proceedings, including the Federal High Court action and arbitration proceedings.

Levitikal Group identifies Samuel Mawuyon Ajose as its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer and describes the group as having interests including construction and real estate.

Ajose also publicly described himself in January 2026 as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Levitikal Group while declaring his interest in the 2027 Lagos governorship race.

The property has also previously attracted the attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Media reports in August 2026 said EFCC operatives had marked the Victoria Island development with a warning directing persons to keep off amid an alleged investigation.

Those reports, however, did not establish a final finding of wrongdoing against any party.

Against that background, the latest Federal High Court order places further restrictions on dealings involving the property while the substantive dispute remains pending.

Justice Lewis-Allagoa also authorised Abacha to publish the court’s orders in national newspapers and online media circulating in Nigeria to notify members of the public, prospective purchasers, lenders, investors and other interested parties of the pending proceedings and her interest in the property.

The judge further directed the Nigeria Police Force, including the Inspector General of Police, the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 2, and the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, as well as the EFCC and other relevant law-enforcement agencies, to provide adequate security and assistance to the applicant and the Deputy Sheriff of the Federal High Court for the implementation and enforcement of the orders.

The court reached its decision after considering the affidavit filed in support of the application, sworn to by Sadiq Mohammed Abacha, as well as the submissions of Adesina, SAN, on behalf of the applicant.

The matter has been adjourned until November 9, 2026.