Enugu State Government has asserted its ownership of a disputed plot of land located at Cadastal Zone B03, Wuye District, Abuja, saying the disputant, Simonis Ventures Nigeria Limited, has no valid claim or interest in the said property.
The state government accused the firm of a failed attempt to fraudulently acquire Plot 804 in the said Wuye District measuring about one hectare (1.04 hectares) through fraudulent transfer of ownership, insisting that the property had not changed ownership since it was first allocated to Enugu State.
It said that investigations by both the police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had since established the Enugu State Government as the rightful owner of the said property.
General Manager (GM), Enugu State Housing Development Corporation, Dr Gerald Asogwa, made the assertions during a media briefing in Abuja, yesterday. He also provided all the documents for the claimed property.
According to Asogwa, the initial (first) application for a plot of land in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was made by the Enugu State Government during the administration of Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo in 1992, a request that was granted on January 14, 1993.
The state government, however, explained that “the allocation was erroneously issued in the name of Enugu State Property Development Corporation, instead of Enugu State Government or Enugu State Housing Development Corporation.”
It wondered how a non-legal personality could have been transferred to Simonis Ventures Nigeria Limited.
“There has never existed any parastatal, corporation, or company known as Enugu State Property Development Corporation at the time of allocation or thereafter. The named allottee, therefore, lacked legal personality and contractual capacity ab initio,” Asogwa stated,
He explained that upon discovery of the said anomaly, the Enugu State Government applied to the Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS)/FCT Authorities for correction, following which “the wrongful allocation was cancelled, and Plot 804, Wuye, was re-allocated to Enugu State Government as the rightful owner.
“The Right of Occupancy, Certificate of Occupancy, and all requisite building approvals were subsequently obtained in the name of Enugu State Government, and development commenced before the unlawful destruction carried out by agents of Simonis Ventures Nigeria Limited,” he stated.
Asogwa, however, said that the police were unable to prosecute those behind the faking of the Power of Attorney, “as the purported directors were discovered to be ghost identities and frustrating prosecution,” noting that the addresses were equally non-existent.
He also faulted the attempt by Simonis to dress its directors in the images as Senator Ayogu Eze’s family members, more so as the late senator had averred that the land belonged to Enugu State Government.
The state government, however, accused Simonis of abuse of court process, wondering why a court order purportedly obtained in 2016 only surfaced in 2025 after the demise of Senator Eze.
It accused Simonis and its partner, Zoe New Dawn, and one Stephen Achama of criminal conduct and public deception, including an attack on Enugu State’s site workers, destruction of property, as well as fraudulent marketing of the said property as though it belonged to them.
