The Federal High Court, Lagos, has intervened in a dispute over a property located at No. 68 Molade Okoya Thomas Street, off Ajose Adeogun Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa issued an interim order on September 29, 2026, appointing a receiver-manager to take possession and control of the property. This decision was made in a suit marked FHC/LAG/CS/1245/2026, in which Abacha is the applicant and Levitikal Realties & Construction Limited is the respondent.
The property in dispute is covered by a Certificate of Occupancy dated July 4, 1988, and registered as No. 32 at Page 32 in Volume 1988B of the Lands Registry Office, Lagos State. The court's intervention followed an ex-parte application filed by Abacha on September 10, 2026, through her counsel, Adedayo Adesina (SAN). The application sought to restrain Levitikal Realties from dealing with the property in any manner.
The court restrained Levitikal Realties, its directors, agents, representatives, servants, and persons acting through it from selling, transferring, assigning, mortgaging, leasing, charging, alienating, or otherwise encumbering the property, pending the hearing and determination of the applicant's motion on notice for interlocutory injunction. The judge also barred Levitikal Realties from taking any step or carrying out any act calculated to interfere with, overreach, dissipate, assign, transfer, sell, alienate, encumber, or otherwise prejudice the subject matter of the originating summons.
The receiver-manager appointed by the court is the Deputy Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court, or any officer of the court serving as Official Receiver. Alternatively, the court approved the appointment of Bola Adebule & Company, Estate Surveyors & Valuers, or any other fit and reputable property management firm registered with the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Agency (LASRERA). The receiver-manager is tasked with taking possession, custody, and control of the disputed property pending the hearing and final determination of the motion on notice.
The dispute reportedly originated from a joint venture arrangement for the development of a high-rise property on the site. According to the account contained in the court processes, the landowner subsequently terminated the joint venture agreement over alleged fundamental breaches by the developer, Levitikal Realties & Construction Limited. The court processes further indicate that the dispute has generated parallel legal and alternative dispute-resolution proceedings, including the Federal High Court action and arbitration proceedings.
Levitikal Group identifies Samuel Mawuyon Ajose as its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer and describes the group as having interests including construction and real estate. Ajose also publicly described himself in January 2026 as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Levitikal Group while declaring his interest in the 2027 Lagos governorship race. The property has also previously attracted the attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The court reached its decision after considering the affidavit filed in support of the application, sworn to by Sadiq Mohammed Abacha, as well as the submissions of Adesina, (SAN) on behalf of the applicant. The matter has been adjourned until November 9, 2026. The court's order also authorised Abacha to publish the court's orders in national newspapers and online media circulating in Nigeria to notify members of the public, prospective purchasers, lenders, investors, and other interested parties of the pending proceedings and her interest in the property.
Key points
- The Federal High Court, Lagos, has appointed a receiver-manager to take control of a disputed property at No. 68 Molade Okoya Thomas Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.
- The dispute reportedly originated from a joint venture arrangement for the development of a high-rise property on the site, which was terminated by the landowner over alleged fundamental breaches by the developer, Levitikal Realties & Construction Limited.
- The court's order also authorised Abacha to publish the court's orders in national newspapers and online media circulating in Nigeria to notify members of the public, prospective purchasers, lenders, investors, and other interested parties of the pending proceedings and her interest in the property.
