Court gavel
An Ikeja High Court on Tuesday adjourned until May 2, contempt of court proceedings against the Federal Housing Authority (FHA).
Justice Akintunde Savage adjourned the proceedings after dismissing the prayer of FHA counsel, Mr Chris Ekemezie, to strike out forms 48 and 49 filed against FHA.
Form 48 is a notice of consequence of disobedience of a court order following flouting of an order of the court.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that it is served on alleged contemnor (party in alleged disobedience of an order of a court).
Form 49 is a motion for committal for contempt. It is served on an alleged contemnor to notify him that enforcement proceedings will be commenced against him.
Forms 48 and 49 were filed against FHA for allegedly flouting the court’s order restraining it from demolishing 600 houses at 6th Avenue, Festac Town, Lagos State.
Ekemezie had prayed the court to strike out the forms to give room for hearing of the main suit, but the judge ruled that there was essential evidence before the court to warrant sustenance of the forms.
Savage consequently ordered the complainant’s counsel to file a response.
At the last adjourned date, FHA denied breaching the court’s order restraining it from demolishing the 600 houses at 6th Avenue, Festac Town.
FHA’s denial followed a submission by Mr Adetayo Bello, counsel to the claimants, that he applied for and obtained the court order from Justice Omolade Awope, who sat as a vacation judge on Sept. 11, 2023.
Bello said that his application for the order was supported by a 40-paragraph affidavit dated Sept. 7.
The claimants/applicants are Mr Samuel Ahmed, Martinson Realtors Investment Ltd., Alhaja Taoheed Amusa and Alhaja R. A. Balogun.
In September 2023, the claimants/applicants sought an ex-parte order to stop FHA from the demolition.
They filed a motion ex-parte with suit No. ID/7396GCM/2023 and dated Sept. 7, 2023.(NAN)
