Ilorin court evicts illegal occupant of Kwara NUJ cottage
After three years of litigation, a Magistrate Court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State, on Thursday officially evicted the occupant of the Union of Nigeria Journalists (NUJ) guesthouse, Abdulfatai Ajibiola, following the trial of July 8, 2021 judgment in favor of the union.
The NUJ had taken Ajibola to court, asking him to order him to vacate the property rented to him and surrender possession for failure to pay rent and electricity bills.
The property which includes a 12 bedroom guest cottage and kitchen is located at the NUJ premises along Offa Road GRA, Ilorin and was leased to Ajibola in April 2018 for a fixed term and period 18 months.
Council had told the court that Ajibola, when his rent expired on October 17, 2019, defaulted and also failed to pay the electricity bill consumed despite notifying him in writing.
Ajibola, who did not deny owing council rent, however alleged that he was wrongfully evicted.
He also claimed that a verbal agreement was made between him and the council which he said was not honored, a claim he was unable to substantiate in court.
>Magistrate Abdulmalik Magaji had in his judgment, delivered on July 8, 2021, ordered Ajibola to leave the said property.
He also ordered Ajibola to pay the sum of N40,000 as the cost of the electricity bill consumed for the month of October 2019.
However, for nearly two years after the judgment, the chalet remained under lock and key, a development that caused deep division among union members.
DAILY POST reports that after the union's national leadership intervened, the council obtained a court warrant to repossess which was completed on Thursday.
Bailiffs and a gendarme acting on court orders carried out the eviction while inventories of the chalet properties were drawn up in the presence of Commune officials, after which the property was handed over to the Commune by the court.< /p>
After three years of litigation, a Magistrate Court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State, on Thursday officially evicted the occupant of the Union of Nigeria Journalists (NUJ) guesthouse, Abdulfatai Ajibiola, following the trial of July 8, 2021 judgment in favor of the union.
The NUJ had taken Ajibola to court, asking him to order him to vacate the property rented to him and surrender possession for failure to pay rent and electricity bills.
The property which includes a 12 bedroom guest cottage and kitchen is located at the NUJ premises along Offa Road GRA, Ilorin and was leased to Ajibola in April 2018 for a fixed term and period 18 months.
Council had told the court that Ajibola, when his rent expired on October 17, 2019, defaulted and also failed to pay the electricity bill consumed despite notifying him in writing.
Ajibola, who did not deny owing council rent, however alleged that he was wrongfully evicted.
He also claimed that a verbal agreement was made between him and the council which he said was not honored, a claim he was unable to substantiate in court.
>Magistrate Abdulmalik Magaji had in his judgment, delivered on July 8, 2021, ordered Ajibola to leave the said property.
He also ordered Ajibola to pay the sum of N40,000 as the cost of the electricity bill consumed for the month of October 2019.
However, for nearly two years after the judgment, the chalet remained under lock and key, a development that caused deep division among union members.
DAILY POST reports that after the union's national leadership intervened, the council obtained a court warrant to repossess which was completed on Thursday.
Bailiffs and a gendarme acting on court orders carried out the eviction while inventories of the chalet properties were drawn up in the presence of Commune officials, after which the property was handed over to the Commune by the court.< /p>
What's Your Reaction?
