A
44-year-old man, Ikechukwu Ozichukwu, and his mother, Mrs. Comfort
Ebubechukwu, are locked in battle over the sale of one of the family’s
houses.
The building, a semi-detached duplex
located on 21 Road, H Close, FESTAC, Lagos State, was allegedly sold in
January 2013 while Ozichukwu was still living there with his wife and
two children.
It was learnt that Ozichukwu’s mother
allegedly sold the house for N27m. Another property was subsequently
purchased at the Satellite Town area in the name of his younger brother
who lived in the United States.
It was gathered that it was
when the new buyer wanted to move into the house that Ozichukwu knew
that the house no longer belonged to the family.
Ozichukwu said, “Early this year, I was
approached by two buyers who claimed that the house was for sale. At the
time, my mother was away in the United States. When the rumour
persisted, I obtained a Caveat on the house from the Ikeja High Court.
“But when my mother returned a few weeks
after, she said she had indeed put the house up for sale. I objected to
this because this was the only property that my late father had in
Lagos.”
He added that his objection did not go down well with his mother.
A few weeks later, the son said his
mum’s lawyer, Mr. Sam Eneonwuta, came to the house with some documents
showing that he had agreed to the sale.
He said, “I am a joint administrator
with my mother for our father’s estate, so my permission is also needed
on anything that would happen to the estate. Of, course, I declined to
sign the documents.
“I was arrested some days later by some
policemen from the Area E Command, FESTAC. My mother had written a
petition alleging threat to life. I was detained for two days. Later,
the Area Commander advised us to settle the dispute.
“In March 2013, my mother who also lived
in the same building, moved out without my knowledge. Soon after this, I
got a quit notice from my mother’s lawyer, giving me a week’s notice to
vacate the premises.”
Ozichukwu said a week after the quit notice, 15 people came to the house to eject him. However, they were stopped by the police.
He added that he was subsequently
arrested by policemen from State Criminal Investigative Department,
Yaba, based on petitions by Ebubechukwu’s lawyer. The matter was also
said to have been reported at Zone 2 command.
He said, “I was going from one police
formation to the other. It was at this period that I was informed by the
police that my mother had left for the US after selling the house for
N27m. Another property had been purchased in its place at Satellite town
in the name of my younger brother who lives in the US.
“I was shocked because I never consented
to the sale. Eventually, it was discovered at the Zone 2 Command that
my signature had been forged on the documents to facilitate the sale in
April.”
It was learnt that when the new owner
could not move into the house, he also reported at Special Fraud Unit,
Ikoyi. Ozichuwku was once again arrested by operatives from SFU.
Ozichuwku said, “I have been to the SFU
office many times, but during this time some men, claiming to be court
sheriffs, came to the house. They said they were from the Apapa
Magistrate’s Court. They took some snapshots of the house and left. I
have been to the said court and couldn’t find any summons relating to me
or the property. If I am being taken to court, at least I should be
contacted.”
Eneonuwta, when contacted, said Ozichukwu’s mother had fled the house.
He said, “Ebubechukwu was ill-advised at
the time the letter of administration was drawn up to include
Ozichukwu. The house belongs to her and not the late husband because
although he had been made an offer before his death, she was the one who
made the final payment and developed the building.”
Ozichukwu’s US-based younger brother,
Kelechi, told our correspondent on the telephone that the mother was
receiving medical treatment and was unavailable for comment.
He insisted that the house belonged to their mother.
He said, “My father won that house
during the FESTAC 77. Shortly after that, he died. It was my mother who
followed up and developed the building. She needed the proceeds from the
sale of the house to pay for her medical treatment in the US.”
The Police Public Relations Officer, Zone 2, Lewi Suleiman confirmed the case.
He said, “During our investigation,
Eneonuwta claimed that he was given power of attorney by Ozichukwu and
that the document was handed over to him by Ebubechukwu.
“Ozichukwu denied signing any document
of that nature. We have obtained the document along with a specimen of
Ozichukwu’s signature and both have been sent to Alagbon so that the
appropriate department can determine if Ozichukwu’s signature was
forged. We are still awaiting the results.”
The PPRO SFU, Mrs. Ngosi Isintume-Agu, also confirmed the case. She said, “We are still investigating the case.”
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It is no secret that Nigerian lawyers routinely forged their clients' signature. Why nobody has taken them to court on this is beyond comprehension. Whether it is for company registration or land documents, Lawyers must just forged signature and claim it doesn't mean. I can not look beyond the woman's lawyer in this allege signature forgery.
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