Court Stops Kaduna State From Demolishing Abacha’s Hotel

A Kaduna State High Court on Tuesday restrained Governor Nasir El-Rufai and agencies of the state from further demolishing and taking over Durbar Hotel Plc located along the Muhammadu Buhari Way in Kaduna, the state capital.

The hotel is said to belong to the family of the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha.

The hotel has been under litigation between the Federal Government and the family of the late Head of the State since 2001.

The Abacha family was said to have won the case both at the lower and the appellate courts. It is now before the Supreme Court.

However, officials of the state, led by the Kaduna State Urban and Property Development Agency, on Wednesday night demolished the hotel.

Meanwhile, the restraining order was based on an ex parte motion brought before the court by the hotel’s management through the lawyer to the Abacha family, Mr Reuben Atabor, praying the court for an order of interim injunction restraining el-Rufai and agencies of the state government from demolishing, taking over, or tampering with the property.

The hotel management, in the application, also sought an interim injunction restraining el-Rufai and agencies of the state government from further trespassing on the property pending the determination of the motion on notice.

Consequently, Justice Hanatu Balogun of the state high court, upon hearing the ex parte motion, granted the order.

“I grant an order restraining the defendants from taking over the property in issue and from further tampering with same or trespassing on same or developing or assigning same pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice,” she stated in the order.

The case was then adjourned till February 4.