Grandma slams N51.352 bn suit on Anambra billionaire, others over demolished property

Maduako Igbokwe l Tuesday, 26 January 2021

 

ONITSHA, Anambra, Nigeria – A 104-year-old woman,  Mrs. Margaret Nwuelo, has dragged a billionaire, Cletus Ibeto and 14 others before to an Anambra High Court Nnewi,  presided over by Justice Denis Maduechesi ,for alleged land grabbing.

She is requesting the court to award her over 51, 352, 400,000 in damages and cost of litigation.The centenarian in her  statement of claim asked the court to cause the defendants to pay about  N1.5bn for disturbing her peace over a piece of  land she claimed to have bought with her late husband in 1957. She instituted the action on behalf of  the representatives of the family except the 12th defendants ( her grandson’s wife) and her offspring.

She  sought  amongst other things, an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their servants, agents, privies or any other person howsoever described from further trespassing on her  land at  No  136-140 Abel Okoye Road, Egbu, Umuenem, Otolo, Nnewi.

She  also asked the  court for ” a declaration that by the invasion, trespass, demolition and subsequent actions of the defendants on the 1st  plaintiff/plaintiffs’ properties on the piece and parcel of land on the 6th January, 2020; the plaintiffs’  constitutionally guaranteed right to dignity of human person, right to own properties, right to privacy , right to life and right to personal liberty were grossly violated.

“A declaration that the plaintiffs are entitled to the statutory right of occupancy of the piece and parcel of land; An order directing the defendants to pay the plaintiffs the sum of N30.9m being the estimated value for the repair and replacement of the demolished structures on the  land when the defendants invaded it on the 6th  of January, 2020; An order  directing the defendants to pay plaintiffs the sum of N21.5  millions being the estimated value of some of the items carted away and/or damaged by the defendants and their agents.

“An order directing the defendants to pay plaintiffs the sum of N1.3bn for general, aggravated and exemplary damages the plaintiffs suffered by the defendants’ deliberate and unlawful invasion of the land”

The centenarian  further asked the court to cause the  defendants to pay her and other plaintiffs the sum of N320m for the gross violation of their constitutionally guaranteed fundamental human rights, when they invaded her  land as well as an order  directing the defendants to pay the cost of her legal fees for the action assessed at N50bn. Hearing of the matter has been fixed 12th of May, 20th of May, 25th of May and 17th of June, 2021, respectively.