The Enugu State Government has asserted its ownership of a disputed plot of land located at Cadastral Zone B03, Wuye District, Abuja, stating that the disputant, Simonis Ventures Nigeria Limited, has no valid claim or interest in the property.
The government accused Simonis of a failed attempt to fraudulently acquire Plot 804 in the Wuye District, measuring about one hectare, through a fraudulent transfer of ownership, insisting that the property has not changed hands since it was first allocated to Enugu State.
It explained that investigations by both the police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have established the Enugu State Government as the rightful owner of the property.
The assertions were made by the General Manager of the Enugu State Housing Development Corporation, Dr Gerald Asogwa, at a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, during which he also exhibited all the relevant documents.
According to Asogwa, the initial application for a plot of land in the Federal Capital Territory was made by the Enugu State Government during the administration of Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo in 1992, a request that was granted on January 14, 1993.
The government, however, explained that “the allocation was erroneously issued in the name of Enugu State Property Development Corporation, instead of Enugu State Government or Enugu State Housing Development Corporation.”
It questioned how a non-legal personality could have transferred the land to Simonis Ventures Nigeria Limited.
“There has never existed any parastatal, corporation, or company known as Enugu State Property Development Corporation at the time of allocation or thereafter. The named allottee, therefore, lacked legal personality and contractual capacity ab initio.
“Yet in 2002, the said non-existent entity purportedly transferred the land to Simonis Ventures Nigeria Limited using a fake and fraudulent Irrevocable Power of Attorney dated 25/02/2002, suspiciously witnessed in 2005.
“But the said Power of Attorney was not sealed, had no governor’s consent as required by law, was not co-signed by any government official, and failed to disclose the name or designation of any lawful executor. The document was clearly concocted to deceive authorities and is attached as Exhibit 3,” Asogwa stated.
He explained that upon discovery of the anomaly, the Enugu State Government applied to the Abuja Geographic Information System, AGIS, and FCT authorities for correction, following which “the wrongful allocation was cancelled, and Plot 804, Wuye, was re-allocated to Enugu State Government as the rightful owner”.
“The Right of Occupancy, Certificate of Occupancy, and all requisite building approvals were subsequently obtained in the name of Enugu State Government, and development commenced before the unlawful destruction carried out by agents of Simonis Ventures Nigeria Limited,” he stated.
Asogwa, however, said that the police were unable to prosecute those behind the forgery of the power of attorney, as the purported directors were discovered to be ghost identities, frustrating prosecution, noting that the addresses were also non-existent.
He also faulted what he described as the attempt by Simonis to present its directors as members of Senator Ayogu Eze’s family, particularly as the late senator had affirmed that the land belonged to the Enugu State Government.
“In 2015, the EFCC Abuja investigated the matter. The late Senator Ayogu Eze was identified as the person who received the Certificate of Occupancy on behalf of the Enugu State Government. He categorically stated that the land belonged to Enugu State Government and that he never claimed ownership,” Asogwa stated.
On the court order paraded by Simonis Limited, Asogwa said that “at no time was any court order served on, submitted to, or delivered to Enugu State Government, Enugu State Housing Development Corporation, or any person, authority, or entity representing Enugu State Government.”
The government accused Simonis of abuse of court process, questioning why a court order purportedly obtained in 2016 only surfaced in 2025 after the death of Senator Eze.
“In November 2025, Simonis Ventures Nigeria Limited resurfaced and filed an action at the Gwagwalada High Court seeking to enforce a 2016 order.
“The original 2016 order contained only one paragraph, yet the enforcement application fraudulently expanded it to two paragraphs, introducing reliefs that never existed.
“This constitutes a clear abuse of court process and fraud. The resurrection of the suit followed the death of Senator Ayogu Eze. Corporate records of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) show that ghost directors were replaced with family members of the deceased. The status report is attached as Exhibit 9,” Asogwa explained.
The Enugu State Government insisted that the court order was ‘fundamentally defective’.
“The alleged order is fundamentally defective because no court process was served on Enugu State Government or its agencies, the state became aware of the matter only days after judgment; enforcement was attempted through self-help without court bailiffs; no pre-action notice was served; the 2016 order relied upon was not certified as required by the Evidence Act (Exhibit 11); the proof of service relied upon was false and forged (Exhibit 12). Indeed, the order was obtained by fraud and is liable to be set aside,” Asogwa further declared.
The state government accused Simonis and its partner, Zoe New Dawn, as well as one Stephen Achama, of criminal conduct and public deception, including attacks on Enugu State’s site workers, destruction of property, and the fraudulent marketing of the land as though it belonged to them.
The government asserted that the land is currently being developed as Woodlands Estate by Tout Moi Nigeria Limited under a valid and subsisting contractual arrangement for the Enugu State Government, warning that anyone transacting with Simonis Limited, Zoe New Dawn, and Achama in respect of the plot does so at his or her own risk.
Asogwa added that, contrary to claims by a representative of Simonis in the media, the Enugu State Government, not Simonis Limited, carried out all physical development on the plot.
“These purported sales are illegal, void, and of no legal effect, as Simonis Ventures Nigeria Limited has no valid interest in the land and no right whatsoever to alienate, assign, sell, transfer, or otherwise deal with the property,” he said.
Enugu govt insists on ownership of Abuja property
