The crisis over the ownership and development of River Park Estate in Lugbe, Abuja, has attracted the attention of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, and a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Ministerial Review Committee, which has visited the site several times.
A Ministerial Task Force had earlier stopped ongoing construction and arrested some workers said to have defied a court order. An Abuja High Court had directed the parties in the matter to “maintain the status quo” and stay away from the disputed properties until the case is determined.
In a statement on Sunday, Dr Adrian Ogunmuyiwa said he was the founder of Jonah Capital Nigeria Limited, the company behind the estate, and not Ghanaian investors as claimed in some quarters.
However, a memo dated July 1, 2017, and addressed to Mr Kojo Ansah, Chief Executive Officer of Jonah Capital Nigeria Limited and Houses for Africa Nigeria Limited, showed that the developer, Mr Adrian Ogun, had resigned from the boards of the two companies.
Part of the letter read: “Dear Kojo, It is with much regret that I feel obliged to write this letter revoking and cancelling as ‘void the Agreement to reduce the debt claims of Common Consultants Ltd against Jonah Capital reached at a River Park Board Meeting, held on 20th October 2016. The aforementioned Board was chaired by Mr Paul Odili of Paulo Homes, attended by you, representing Jonah Capital and myself representing Common Consultants (with Yinka Kehinde as minute taker).
“Prior to the River Park Board meeting claims by CCL against Jonah Capital for both River Park and Kaba land expenses amounted to NGN61,142,133 as at 30th September, 2016. During the Board meeting, I agreed to an abated payment on condition that: 1) the whole outstanding debt owed to CCL was paid by 31st December 2016 and 2) 52 million naira in Development Control fees and 10 million naira in late payment penalties were paid by Jonah Capital Nigeria directly to the FCT in respect of Kaba land.
“Today, nine months after the Board meeting, legal rights on the 23 hectares of land at Kaba are in jeopardy owing to Jonah Capital failing to pay the outstanding FCT fees.”
Ogun also demanded immediate payment of ₦102.8 million allegedly owed to Common Consultants Limited, before tendering his resignation from the boards of Jonah Capital Nigeria Limited and Houses for Africa Nigeria Limited.
The letter was also copied to Mr Paul Odili of Paulo Homes Limited.
