There was tension, in Benin-City, on Wednesday, as an Edo High Court restrained the state government from demolishing the T. Latifah Hotel belonging to an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Mr. Tony Adun, aka Kabaka.
The state government had, last week, served Kabaka, a staunch follower of the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole, a seven-day notice for demolition of T. Latifah Hotel, claiming that its location contravened Benin-City’s Master Plan.
Kabaka had last week alleged that the state government was after him because of his refusal to support the second term bid of Governor Godwin Obaseki.
Kabaka later apologised on the social media, begging the state government to tender justice with mercy.
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Early, on Wednesday, there were rumours that bulldozers had been stationed in front of the hotel waiting for signal to commence demolition.
The incident generated tension as the nearby primary school, market and shops hurriedly closed for safety even as Kabaka boys were seen hanging around.
Meanwhile, Justice D. I. Okungbowa of a Benin High Court had, on Tuesday, restrained the Edo State Government from demolishing the property.
In a suit no B/151/05/2019, Justice Okungbowa granted an order of interim injunction restraining the defendants particularly the 1st defendant “from carrying out and or demolishing, removing, pulling down or altering the claimant/applicant’s hotel buildings known as T. Latifah Hotel and Suites lying and situate at No1 Akin Oladiyun Street, behind Ugbor Primary School, Ugbor GRA, Benin City, Edo State, pending the determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.”
The court’s verdict read in part, “It seems to me that more justice will be served if the defendants are temporarily restrained from carrying out their threat of demolishing the structure than allowing them to demolish same pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction already filed.”
Kabaka said the said property had a Certificate of Occupancy and that there was already a court injunction restraining the government from pulling down the building.
You see, this is my Deed of Transfer that I used to buy the property. This is the signature; this is the Oba’s approval. This is the signature of the Surveyor General of the state. So, you can see he signed it himself,” Adun said.
