Court evicts illegal occupant of Kwara NUJ chalet

After three years of litigation, a Magistrate Court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State, on Thursday officially evicted the occupant of the guest chalet of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, (NUJ), Abdulfatai Ajibiola, following the July 8, 2021 court judgement in favour of the union.

….The NUJ had dragged Ajibola to court, asking it to order him to vacate the property rented out to him and deliver possession for defaulting in the payment of rent and electricity bills.

The property which comprises 12 bedroom guest chalet and Kitchen is situated within the premises of the NUJ along Offa Road GRA, Ilorin and was rented out to Ajibola in April 2018 for a definite time and period of 18 months.

The council had told the court that Ajibola at the expiration of his rent on 0ctober 17, 2019 had defaulted and had also not paid the electricity bill consumed despite notifying him in writing.

…,..Ajibola who did not deny owing the council rent, however, alleged that he was ejected wrongly.

He also claimed that a verbal agreement was made between him and the council which according to him was not honoured, a claim that he could not substantiate before the law court.

Magistrate Abdulmalik Magaji had in his judgement, delivered on July 8 2021, ordered Ajibola to vacate the said property.

….He also ordered Ajibola to pay the sum of N40,000 as the cost of the electricity bill consumed for the month of October 2019.

However, for close to two years after the judgement, the chalet had remained under lock and key, a development which had caused deep division amongst members of the union.

…..After the intervention of the national leadership of the union, the council obtained a court warrant to recover possession which was effected on Thursday.

…….Bailiffs and a policeman acting on the orders of the court effected the eviction while inventories of properties in the chalet were taken in the presence of the officials of the Council after which the property was handed over to the Council by the court.

Daily Post