ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
A property firm, Bliss Multinational Perfections Company Limited (BMPC), has sued the Bayelsa State Government and its agency, the Bayelsa State Physical Planning and Development Board (BSPPDB) over a 14-day demolition notice on its multi-million property.
The company also included as a defendant in the suit No. YHC/187/2021, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Biriyai Dambo (SAN).
BMPC is said to be the owner of the gigantic building housing the headquarters of the embattled Baraza Multipurpose Cooperatives Society. Baraza was recently involved in a controversial failed repayment plan for members and investors of the society.
The plaintiff, in its statement of claims and writ of summons before the Bayelsa State High Court in Yenagoa, said the land on which the property is located on Mbiama/Yenagoa road in Yenizue-Gene, Yenagoa Local Government Area of the state, was acquired in September, 2014.
The property company said a Deed of Assignment was made between it and that of the vendor’s company, noting that after the purchase, they applied for a Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) of the land which they were granted.
BPMC stated: “The consent certificate is hereby pleaded and shall be provided at the hearing of the matter. Prior to the granting of the consent certificate, we had already been given implementation/construction permit by the office of the second defendant (BSPPDB) and we commenced the head office project and subsequently got the development plan approval.
“At the conclusion of the project, the office of the 2nd defendant wrote a letter to the property owner congratulating them on the successful completion of the project using best practices, quality building materials and qualified personnel. At every material time when construction of the head office was going on, inspections were conducted by agents of the government.
“The said implementation permit as well as the development plan approval got from the 2nd defendant’s office are hereby pleaded and shall be produced at the hearing on the matter.
“We were, however, surprised that the 2nd defendant that is an agency of the 1st defendant, (Bayelsa Government) has pasted a removal/demolition notice on our head office despite all the documents mentioned. The said removal/demolition notice is hereby pleaded and shall be founded upon at the court.”
The plaintiff, in its Motion on Notice, sought an order restraining the BSPPDB, their agents, assigns and any other persons working for or on behalf of them from removing/demolishing their head office.
It was gathered from some ranking officials of the government that the face-off between the Board and owners of the buildings purportedly marked for demolition was allegedly due to the failed investments in Baraza where millions of investors’ funds are allegedly trapped.
It was also gathered that some government officials were allegedly among the investors affected by Baraza’s failure to meet its financial obligations to many subscribers to the scheme.