In a recent development, Jet Attorneys has distanced itself from an alleged petition to the House Committee on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The petition, reportedly submitted on behalf of the "concerned sons and daughters of Late Engr. Dr. Tanko Baba Abdullahi," sought the committee's intervention in a family dispute over the late Engr. Dr. Tanko Baba Abdullahi's estate. According to the firm, the petition was not authored or presented by them.
The dispute in question arose following the death of Tanko Baba Abdullahi in April 2022. The deceased left behind properties and assets to be distributed among his beneficiaries. Initially, family members, traditional authorities, and elders attempted to resolve the estate's administration within the family. However, disagreements over asset identification, valuation, and distribution persisted, leading to a court-supervised process.
The matter was taken to the Upper Area Court, Kubwa, Abuja, through Suit No. CV/92/2024, after one beneficiary sought judicial intervention. The court assumed a supervisory role in the estate's administration, engaging a court-appointed firm, Hassan and Hassan Consulting, to value the properties. Beneficiaries were given opportunities to exercise their right of first refusal before some properties were offered for sale to third parties.
According to reports, a substantial number of heirs accepted the court-supervised arrangement. However, the alleged petitioners claimed that the court-appointed valuer and at least one purchaser later became subjects of an EFCC investigation. The individuals were detained, their homes searched, and their phones seized for forensic examination before they were released on bail.
The purported petitioners asked the House Committee on EFCC to intervene and refer the matter to the EFCC chairman, Ola Olukoyede, for an impartial review. They urged the commission to ensure that any investigation involving the estate was based on evidence and not influenced by competing interests among beneficiaries. One of the heirs, Abdullahi, is an officer of the EFCC, which led to allegations that his position was being used in connection with the prolonged family dispute.
Jet Attorneys, in its disclaimer, denied any involvement in the alleged petition, stating that it was neither briefed by the purported "concerned sons and daughters of Late Engr. Dr. Tanko Baba Abdullahi" nor did it present any such petition before the House Committee on EFCC. The firm made the disclaimer through C. Ogalagu Esq., following the publication of a report alleging that persons involved in the court-supervised administration of the estate had become subjects of an EFCC investigation.
The EFCC's role in the matter remains unclear, as does the impact of the alleged investigation on the estate's administration and the beneficiaries. The disclaimer by Jet Attorneys has added another layer of complexity to the already contentious dispute over the late Engr. Dr. Tanko Baba Abdullahi's estate.
Key points
- Jet Attorneys denies involvement in alleged petition to House Committee on EFCC.
- Dispute over late Engr. Dr. Tanko Baba Abdullahi's estate leads to court-supervised administration.
- Alleged EFCC investigation targets court-appointed valuer and purchaser.
