Businessman kicks over contract, alleged property demolition

ALagos-based businessman and developer, Alhaji Hakeem Kosoko, has appealed to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, to intervene in what he described as manipulation of legal contract and unlawful demolition of his property located at 23, Breadfruit Street, Lagos, by agents of the State government.

The petitioner, through his counsel, S. A. Oshodi, stated that his company, Mulakee Holding Nigeria Limited was offered an authority to re-develop the said property by the Lagos State Government, in April 2015, but to his surprise, Lagos Ministry of Physical Planning, recently demolished the property.

“All the terms of agreement including the payment of the Premium of N3 million and consultancy fee of N1.5 million were paid into the coffers of the State government and Mulakee Holding commenced redevelopment of the area in line with specification and drawing of the authority and agreement,” Oshodi stated.

The counsel further stated that in July 2017, “our clients were served with a court process: No LD/5237LMW, in which the claimant, A.J. Missri & Company, claimed ownership of the said property, which prompted the filing of a statement of Defence and Counter Claim of possessory and contractual interest derived from the Lagos State government in the same property.