FCT Minister’s CSO, FCDA Officials Demolish River Park Abuja Estate

Officials of the Federal Capital Development Authority, accompanied by the police and other security personnel, on Wednesday, defied a subsisting court order, and moved into high-brow River Park Estate, Abuja, with bulldozers, and demolished multi-million structures located within the Estate.

Justice Mohammed Zubairu, of High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Jikwoyi-Kurudu, had on September 17, 2025, granted an injunctive order restraining officials of FCDA from entering inside the estate to do anything untoward pending the hearing and determination of a suit against FCDA.

Two property developers, Jonahcapital Nigeria Ltd, and Houses For Africa Nigeria Ltd, had sued the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, and the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), in respect of dispute over ownership of the estate.

Justice Zubairu, had after hearing a motion exparte dated and filed on September 11, 2025, with motion no: M/11417/2025, moved by Anthony Malik (SAN), granted the application of the Plaintiffs/Applicants as prayed, which had sought leave of the court to apply for a judicial review by way of certiorari to set aside and/or quash the proceedings, report and recommendations of the Ministerial Committee set up by the FCT Minister on the issues affecting River Park Estate Lugbe, Abuja,

Specifically, the court ordered “that the grant of the above relief, supra, shall operate as a stay of action or proceedings in respect of, or in connection with the implementation of the report of the Ministerial Committee.

However, in total disobedience to the order and the pendency of the suit, bulldozers and officials of the Development Control, escorted by the police, Civil Defence etc, stormed the Estate, and pulled down buildings to foundation levels.

It was reliably gathered that one Malik Amzat, a staff of the Ghanaians, and the CSO to the FCT Minister, conducted the FCDA demolition team, policemen and Civil Defence personnel round the estate and showed them the structures belonging to the Nigerian owners, which they demolished.

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Onlookers expressed concern that despite the directive of the Inspector General of Police, stopping the police from interfering in land matters, men of the Nigerian Police aided the demolition exercise carried out despite a court order.

Even with the “status report” of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), removing the alleged forged documents in it’s database, and subsequently confirming the real Directors and owners of Jonahcapital, and Houses For Africa Nigeria Ltd, two companies linked to River Park Estate, Residents wondered why the FCT Minister is claiming the companies belong to Ghanaians.

A resident who identified himself as Mr Emmanuel, said that Wednesday’s exercise was another round of demolition in the estate carried out as a result of the CAC report, which has further aggravated their fury.

Another resident, Mallam Musa wondered why the FCT Minister, who is supposed to be neutral, has now taken sides with the Ghanaians to destroy an estate owned by a Nigerian.

As at the time of filing this report, the demolition bulldozers, FCDA officials, security operatives were at Cluster One, where the multi billion naira Margaret Lawrence University Teaching Hospital Cancer Centre, which they demolished months ago is under reconstruction.

Recall that last Friday, the demolition team where prevented by the University security staff and some placards carrying residents, who locked the entrance gate, thereby denying them access into the Cancer center.

Mrs Bisi, a resident of the estate and a Council Member of Margaret Lawrence University, told newsmen that it was bizzare to see Development Control bulldozers closing in on the Cancer Centre during unofficial time of 6pm, last Friday.

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“When all these started, we were advised to go to court, which we did. We got an order for the judicial review of the Ministerial Committee report.

“For good fate purposes, we wrote a letter to the Director, Development Control (AMMC) on December 9, 2025, titled; “Warning Against Contempt of Court and Notification of True Directorship of Jonahcapital/River Park Estate”.

“We showed them a copy of the letter and the order of Justice Mohammed Zubairu, of High Court of the FCT, made on September 17, 2025.

“Unfortunately, today, this evening around past 6pm, we saw FCDA people, come with bulldozers with different security personnel to our gate, and were even telling us that we must open our gate for them to come and conduct demolition inside the estate” Ukawugo stated.

Also speaking, Prof. Samuel Asala, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Margaret Lawrence University, expressed dismay that the FCDA officials are coming to pull down to rubbles, an institution where Nigerian students are being trained as medical doctors.

“They came in through the side of the other gate around after 6pm. Considering the issue at stake, and the demolition they did before, they came to follow up on what they had done before, which was to demolish part of our teaching hospital.

“Teaching hospital is where the University trains students, and if that is demolished, it’s just setting everything back.

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“These students are going to be trained for Nigerians, not just for owner of the University, but for Nigerians as a whole.

“And for us, anything that leads to destruction of the property that is on going, is actually setting the University and the training of doctors and health services in Nigeria, way back” the Deputy Vice Chancellor said.

Prof. Asala said the Development Control did not even notify the University that they were coming.

It will be recalled that the protracted ownership feud of River Park Estate, climaxed when the Nigerian Police, in June 2025, preferred a 26-count charge against a Nigerian lawyer Abu Arome, and three Ghanaians, namely Sam Jonah, a Knight of British Empire (KBE), Kojo Ansah, Victor Quainoo, and a company, Mobus Property Nigeria Ltd.

The accused persons were billed for arraignment at High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Gwarimpa in August 2025, before the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, directed that the case file be transferred to his office.

The charge marked CR/402/2025, dated June 25, but filed on June 26 2025, was endorsed by Isa Garba (esq.), prosecuting counsel, legal/prosecution section, Force headquarters, Abuja.

However, while the AGF is reviewing the case file, the FCT Minister set up a Ministerial Committee which set aside the police final investigation report and forensic report upon which the Ghanaians and their Nigerian lawyer were charged to court, and fronted the Ghanaians as owners of the estate.