Bianca wins legal battle over Ojukwu estate – Newstrends
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Bianca wins legal battle over Ojukwu estate

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2 years ago

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Bianca Ojukwu

Bianca wins legal battle over Ojukwu estate

A Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja has delivered judgment in the long-drawn litigation over the management and control of some of the assets of Ojukwu Transport Ltd, OTL, in favour of Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, widow of the late Igbo leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, and her two children.

The late Ikemba Nnewi was a director of OTL, a family company, before he died in 2011.

The suit, LD/1539/2012, filed by Bianca on behalf of the claimants, her two sons, Afamefuna and Nwachukwu, who were infants at the time, against OTL and seven others (brothers of the late Dim Ojukwu, their sons and property agent) before the court, was over alleged move by the defendants to take possession of claimants residence at No. 29 Oyinkan Abayomi Drive, Ikoyi, Lagos, as well as some of the company’s property in Lagos, which were under the management and control of their late Biafran warlord.

The defendants in the suit filed in 2012 are OTL, Prof Joseph Ojukwu, Engr. Emmanuel Ojukwu, Lotanna Putalora Ojukwu, Dr. Patrick Ike Ojukwu, Arch. Edward Ojukwu, Lota Akajiora Ojukwu and Messrs. Massey Udegbe (doing business under Massey Udegbe & Company).

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The claimants stated that at about August 4, 2011, while their father was sick and hospitalized in London, the 4th-7th defendants attempted to forcibly take possession of their home at No. 29 Oyinkan Abayomi Drive (formerly Oueens Drive), Ikoyi, Lagos, claiming that after the death of their father and soon after his burial, the 2nd-7th defendants went on to appoint a property agent, the 8th defendant, to take over, not only their father’s residence at Oyinkan Abayomi Drive but also other property under the possession, management and control of their father, namely No. 13 Hawksworth Rd (now known as 13 Ojora Rd) Ikoyi; No. 32A Commercial Ave, Yaba, Lagos; No. 30 Gerard Rd, Ikoyi, Lagos and No.4 Macpherson Avenue, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Delivering judgment on June 24, this year, the court presided over by Justice A. M. Lawal, after considering all the evidence adduced by the parties in the course of the proceedings spanning about 10 years, ruled that the claimants being biological children of the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu by that virtue are entitled to the estate of their father, as well as his entitlements as a deceased director and shareholder of the Ist defendant.

Justice Lawal stated that “equity is fairness and fairness is equity,” adding that as a court of equity, the court would not allow the dispossession of the claimants who are children of a foundation director of the company while other directors are in hold and control of other property of the Ist defendant and deriving benefits from the same.

“Therefore, the claimants are entitled to possess and control what their late father possessed and controlled in the company, OTL, when he was alive,” he ruled.

The judge stated that the fact that the 1st defendant allowed the family of the company to live on, and derive income from the assets of the company all these years was a decision of the company by conduct.

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He noted that the 2nd defendant who had refused to surrender the property under his control for joint management cannot now lead the battle of having the deceased director’s children hounded out of possession of the property that was managed by their late father.

The counterclaim instituted by the defendants was struck out for lack of competence as the court declared “That the claimants are entitled to the possession and occupation of the property known as No. 29 Oyinkan Abayomi Drive (formerly Oueens Drive), Ikoyi, Lagos, until the harmonization of the management of the assets of the Ist defendant;

“That the threat of forceful ejection of the claimants from No.29 Oyinkan Abayomi Drive, Ikoyi, Lagos, by the defendants is illegal;

“That the claimants are also entitled to the possession of the properties known as No 13 Hawkesworth Rd, Ikoyi (now known as No 13 Ojora Rd, Ikoyi); No. 32A Commercial Avenue, Yaba, Lagos; No. 30 Gerard Rd, Ikoyi, Lagos and No. 4 Macpherson Ave, Ikoyi, Lagos, which were some of the properties that were under the possession of the late father of the claimants from the time the properties were released from government acquisition.

“That the 2nd-8th defendants are restrained either by themselves or through their agent or privies from interfering with the claimants’ possession and control of the 5 listed properties, being the subject matter of the suit.”

Present as the judgment was delivered were the Ist, 5th and 8th defendants, with the 5th defendant, a director of the Ist defendant representing the Ist defendant.

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Rainstorm destroys schools, mosques, others in Kwara community

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April 2, 2025

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Rainstorm destroys schools, mosques, others in Kwara community

Rainstorm has destroyed some public and residential buildings in Ogele, Asa Local Government Area of Kwara State.

The storm also rendered scores of residents homeless

The incident, which occurred in the night of Eid- el- Fitr celebration, affected schools, mosques and other buildings. They included the Ansarul Islam Primary School,  Community Secondary School, health centre and Mosques

Other were concrete poles and high tension wires supplying electricity to Ogele, Afon and other communities.

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Some victims of the rainstorm said they were still counting their losses.

They appealed to the government, individuals and organisations for help.

Aare Ogele, Alhaji Abubakar Akanbi, whose residence was also affected, called for government’s aid for the victims, including the Mufti of the community.

Chairman, Ogele Descendants Progressive Union (ODPU), Alhaji Issa Akanbi-Oniyo, said the   incident had left many residents homeless.

 

Rainstorm destroys schools, mosques, others in Kwara community

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Rivers police arrest General Overseer for alleged homosexuality

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April 2, 2025

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Rivers police arrest General Overseer for alleged homosexuality

The Octopus (C4i) Strike Force Unit of the Nigeria Police has arrested a General Overseer of a new generation church in Eagle Island, Diobu, Port Harcourt over allegations of homosexuality.

The Guardian gathered that the General Overseer, nicknamed Elijah, was arrested after videos of him engaging in homosexual acts were leaked to the police by a male acquaintance named Patrick.

The acquaintance, who had been the target of the cleric’s advances, reportedly played along and captured nude videos of the pastor as evidence. The police, acting on credible intelligence, traced him to one of his relaxation spots in Port Harcourt, where he was arrested and taken into custody for investigation.

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Sources close to the investigation revealed that he has allegedly confessed to numerous acts of homosexuality involving both male adults and minors within and outside Port Harcourt.

Confirming the development, the spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, SP Grace Iringe Koko, stated that the investigation is ongoing.

Rivers police arrest General Overseer for alleged homosexuality

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Police hunt for last suspect in LASU graduate killing

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3 hours ago

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April 2, 2025

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Ogubode Adedamola and Evangelist Whepetoji Babaniyeh

Police hunt for last suspect in LASU graduate killing

The Lagos State Police Command on Monday said it had intensified its search for Teniola Ajisomo, who is the remaining suspect linked to the murder of a 28-year-old graduate of Lagos State University, Adedamola Ogunbode.

The Lagos State Police Command on March 12, exhumed the body of the late Ogunbode from a shallow grave behind the LASU fence in its Ojo campus.

Newstrends reported that the deceased, a Political Science Education graduate, had been missing since January 16.

Among those arrested during police investigations were Sunday Whepetoji, a pastor, who allegedly received N70,000 from the victim’s account; and Sheriff Adebayo, a church member, accused of also receiving N300,000.

Also, Omolara Ajisomo, who allegedly helped her children, Teniola and Olaoluwa Ajisomo, escape to Cotonou, Benin Republic, after each received N300,000 from the victim’s account, was arrested too.

Meanwhile, Olaoluwa was arrested in the Alakuko area of the state before leading the police to the shallow grave.

Reacting to an inquiry by PUNCH Metro on Monday, the command’s spokesperson, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, said Teniola was still on the run.

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He said, “The suspect is still at large and we are trying to get him and we will soon get him. The Shepherd and Sheriff are in Ikoyi correctional centre and Ajisomo who took us to the grave is still with us and is assisting with the investigation.”

Hundeyin also confirmed that Omolara who aided the escape of her children had been released.

“The mother of two of the suspects has been released. She was arrested because her children used her identity to register the SIM. It was the SIM registration that led us to her. But when we discovered that she was not the one using the phone and we arrested the person using the phone, so we let the mother go.”

Hundeyin who addressed newsmen in the course of the probe said the church where some people alleged that the missing boy was killed and buried had been sealed to prevent it from being burned.

“The church was sealed following intelligence reports that some people planned to burn it down out of vengeance, and we do not want that to happen.

“It is still a suspected crime scene, we still need to go over it, and we may need to revisit that scene multiple times for us to gather evidential value.

“The church has been sealed for now to prevent it from being burnt. And we assure the public that updates will be given about the investigation and the progress we have made as soon as we get new updates,” he said.

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Police hunt for last suspect in LASU graduate killing

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