Maryam Abacha drags Kaduna Govt to Court over husband’s property 

Hajiya Maryam Abacha, the wife of Late Head of State, General Sani Abacha,  has dragged the Kaduna State Government to court over the revocation of her husband’s title to a property in the Ungwar Rimi area of  Kaduna metropolis.

Also, joined as the plaintiff in the Writ of Summons is Alhaji Mohammed Sani Abacha, the eldest surviving son of late Abacha.

Aside from the Kaduna State government, the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Kaduna State is also joined in the suit as defendants.

A writ of Summons filed by the Counsel to the Abacha family, Dr Reuben Atabo (SAN) in suit No.KDH/KAD/509/2022 at Kaduna State High Court 4, commanded the defendants to appear before the court after 21 days of receiving the writ, adding that if they default, the plaintiff may proceed and judgment may be given in the defendants’ absence.

The Summons was received and acknowledged by the Court on May 16, 2022.

The Abacha family wanted the court to set aside the, “purported notice of revocation of the plaintiffs’ property situate and lying at No. 1 Degel Road, Ungwar Rimi G.R.A, Kaduna, Kaduna State, measuring about 3,705Sqr meters, which is covered by Kaduna State Certificate of Occupancy No. NC 11458.

The family is also seeking, “An order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their agents, privies, servants and whomsoever from acting on the purported Notice of revocation assigned by the Director-General of Kaduna Geographic Information Service (KADGIS) to revoke the plaintiffs’ right over the property situate and lying at No. 1 Degel Road, Ungwar Rimi G.R.A, Kaduna, Kaduna, measuring about 3,705Sqr meters.”

The plaintiffs are asking for a settlement of, General damages in the sum of N100,000,000.00 (One hundred million naira) only for the embarrassment caused the plaintiffs’ family by the publication of late General Sani Abacha’s name in a National Daily without any justification.

The writ of summons equally seeks, “Any other consequential order and /or orders as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstances of this suit, and the cost of filing and prosecuting this suit.”

Also, in a statement of claim, “The plaintiffs aver that sometimes in the 1980s, Late General Sani Abacha (then Brigadier Sani Abacha) applied to the 1st Defendant for a parcel of land for residential purpose.

“The plaintiffs state that the 1st Defendant requested Late General Sani Abacha to pay relevant fees for the registration of the Statutory Right of Occupancy as well as the issuance of Certificate of Occupancy.

“The plaintiffs aver that upon the grant of Certificate of Occupancy over the said land, Late General Sani Abacha applied to the relevant authorities, inclusive of the Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Authority to develop the land. The plaintiffs shall find and rely on the approval at the hearing of this suit,” the family argued in its claims (Vanguard)