The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Muhammad Bello has alleged that Zainab, a daughter of former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, forged documents to claim a plot of land in Abuja.
The Minister in his response to a land dispute case before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja said neither the office of the Minister of FCT nor the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) approved the allocation of the said land to Zainab.
Recall that Zainab, through her legal counsel, Sebastine Hon, had filed a lawsuit at the Abuja high court, seeking an order restraining the FCT minister and other defendants in the suit from seizing the disputed plot of land.
The ex-president’s daughter, is laying claim to the land at Plot 506, Cadastral Zone B09, Kado District, Abuja, a claim which the FCDA had since voided on the grounds that the Irrevocable Power of Attorney used to procure the land through a donation was allegedly forged.
The Minister, in a joint statement of defense dated September 21, 2021 and read during court proceedings on Tuesday, reiterated that records have shown that the Zainab never applied for land in the FCT or made any payment officially or otherwise to the Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA, to enable her to own any land in Abuja.
The 3rd and 4th respondents also said Zainab had allegedly produced conflicting accounts of how the land was purportedly acquired. According to the respondents, Zainab had claimed to have acquired the land through a former Minister of the FCT, who had since denied selling any land to the former President’s daughter.
The former minister of the FCT who was named as the 1st defendant in a letter issued on March, 4, 2021, had denied ever selling the land or issuing Power of Attorney to Zainab.
The respondents, therefore asked the court to dismiss the case of the plaintiff, on the grounds that she has no right to claim the disputed land.
Following arguments from the defendants, Justice Olukayode Adeniyi, granted permission to the plaintiff to amend her statement of claim and subsequently fixed December 15 and 16 for definite hearing of the matter.
