…insist on probe of FCT judge for granting order without jurisdiction
A civil society group, Africa Centre for Good Governance and Corruption Free Communities has accused the plaintiff in a Lagos property dispute, Mr Henry Ugonna Orabuchi, of spreading false narrative in the case.
The group, in a press statement signed by its Convener, Comrade Temitope Olubunmi Joseph, said for the avoidance of doubt, the Suit No. is: FCT/HC/CV/4636/2025 and the parties in the case are Henry Ugonna Orabuchi Vs Nigeria Police Force and Others.
“The case was filed by the plaintiff for the enforcement of his Fundamental Rights and claims over property in Lagos.
“All we are saying is that Mr Orabuchi should stop spreading false narrating. The order was issued by a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, which clearly, does not have jurisdiction and not the Federal High Court, Abuja”, Joseph said.
In a press statement said to have been issued by Mr Orabuchi, specifically, published by Linda Ikeji Blog, on January 5, 2026, Mr Orabuchi ascribed the FCT High Court order to Federal High Court, Abuja.
He said in the press statement on Linda Ikeji Blog, “Ironically, Mr. Emecheta now raises jurisdictional arguments, forgetting that he was the first to approach Abuja, while Mr. Orabuchi only sought the protection of the Federal High Court Abuja after persistent harassment and threats, despite clear IGP directives.”
The group, in reacting to the false narrative, called on Mr Orabuchi to desist from distorting facts of the case, insisting that the High Ciurt of the FCT has no powers to make such order over a land situated in Lagos.
The group once again, called on the National Judicial Council, NJC, to probe the order of the court, insisting that the FCT High Court has no such power to make the order.
“We are calling on Mr Orabuchi to stop making false claim and stop misleading the public with false information. Check your records well, in case you fail to look at the documents in your possession before coming to the public with misleading information, it was the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, before Justice Othman Musa, that made the order to seal the property located at the back of Plot No A Block 12, Lekki Peninsula Scheme, Lagos State, and not Federal High Court, Abuja.
“As a friend of the court, we will not watch while you distort the facts of the case and mislead the public with false narrative. We are watching with very keen interest and we shall ensure that justice is served in this matter, no matter how long it takes.
“The FCT High Court does not have jurisdiction over a land matter involving property located in Lagos State. In Nigeria, the jurisdiction for land disputes is primarily determined by the physical location of the land or where the cause of action arose. The High Court of a state (or the FCT High Court for land in the FCT) has exclusive original jurisdiction to hear and determine disputes related to land within its own specific territorial boundaries, as provided by the Land Use Act and the Constitution. The FCT High Court’s jurisdiction is generally limited to matters and properties within the geographical area of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. It lacks the competence to adjudicate over matters arising from or connected to another state, such as Lagos. Therefore, any lawsuit concerning land in Lagos must be instituted in the High Court of Lagos State, specifically within the appropriate judicial division where the property is situated.
“Once again, we are calling on the NJC and insisting that a probe should be launched into the order of the court. We simply cannot cease to wonder why a state high court will issue an Exparte order over a land matter in another state because obviously, the FCT High Court is equivalent to a state high court”, the group said.
Last week, the group called for probe into the order of the court.
The group, in a statement wondered why the judge overreached his bounds by issuing an order to seal up a property in Lagos, while sitting as a judge in Abuja.
Convener of the group, Comrade Joseph, called for thorough probe and possible sanction, if found wanting and said it had watched with keen interest, proceedings in a property dispute located in Lagos State before the FCT high court.
He said, “We have watched with keen interest proceedings in Suit No. FCT/HC/CV/4636/2025, a case for the enforcement of Fundamental Rights instituted by Mr. Henry Ugonna Orabuchi Vs Nigeria Police Force and Others.
“Ordinarily, we, as an organisation and stakeholder in the Nigeria project are not supposed to dabble into the matter because it is before a competent court of law and may amount to subjudice but we feel a responsibility is placed on us to draw the attention of the leadership of the judiciary, particularly, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Honourable Justice Kudirat Kelere-Ekun and the National Judicil Council, NJC, to events and occurrence that are not going on well in our courts, particularly, when the courts are being used to take away the rights of ordinary Nigerians”.
According to him, the plaintiff in the matter, Mr. Orabuchi approached the FCT High Court seeking an enforcement of his fundamental rights and asking the court to stop the Nigeria Police from inviting him over a property dispute in Lagos State.
Comrade Joseph said, “Mr. Elvis Emecheta, a Lagos businessman and owner of the disputed property reported the unlawful activities of Mr. Orabuchi, who resorted to self help by forcefully occupying the property and destroying parts of it.
“Mr. Orabuchi was invited by the police to state his own side of the story, rather than honour police invitation, he curiously ran to the FCT High court to stop the police from doing their job by inviting him.
“He claimed that he purchased 3,000 square meters of reclaimed land at the back of the above address from the Landlord, Mr. Emecheta Elvis Eze, which has nothing to do with the premises where the affected business entities are located.
Mr. Orabuchi filed the suit to shield him from honouring invitation of the Nigeria Police Force, following a Petition against him by Mr. Emecheta, alleging conduct that amounts to criminal trespass, damage to property and threat to life.
“Mr. Orabuchi, in the fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by his Counsel, Chikaosolu Ojukwu, SAN, said the police invitation infringes on his fundamental rights and is aimed at compelling him into relinquishing his lawful proprietary and contractual rights over the 3,000square meters of reclaimed land behind the sealed up property.
“The court presided over by Justice Othman Musa granted the order on on November 24, 2025 to seal and secure the entire property, including the reclaimed land at the back of the property measuring 3,000 square meters
He also ordered the immediate stoppage of all construction works, activities, actions, or steps on the said property while ensuring that no person, authority, or entity howsoever described is permitted access to or entry upon the property pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit pending before the court.”
“Following the Exparte order of the court which was supposed to have been vacated, having elapsed, on December 30, 2025, all the occupants of the property and their workers were forcefully chased out of their business premises and the property was sealed up by people who introduced themselves as officers of the FCT High Court, from Abuja.
“All efforts by the various business owners to explain to the FCT Court officials that their business premises is different from the 3,000square meters of the reclaimed land behind it was rebuffed as they were sent out of their business premises without any notice or justification”.
The group demanded probe into the activities of the FCT high Court judge, saying he clearly lacked the jurisdiction to issue the Exparte Order to seal up a property in Lagos. According to the group, only a Lagos court has such powers.
“We, as an organisation are demanding a probe into the activities of Justice Othman Musa, regarding the case and possible sanction. We cannot explain a situation where a judge of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja will give an Exparte order to seal up a property in Lagos, where his jurisdiction does not extend to.
“To us, clearly, the judge does not have the jurisdiction to do that. The disputed property is outside his jurisdiction and should not have made the order he issued. Moreso, the order was made, on November 24, 2025 and should have elapsed, yet, it was not vacated. We are calling on relevant bodies in the Judiciary to call Justice Othman to order and we make bold to say that, if this trend continues in the case, we will have no option than to write a FORMAL PETITION to the NJC to report the Honourable judge for sanction.
“If the action of Justice Othman Musa is left unchecked, other judges may want to do the same, therefore, we are calling, on the leadership of the judiciary to call Justice Musa to order to protect the integrity and sanctity of the Judiciary.
“We believe the institution of this case in FCT High Court Abuja and the grant of the Exparte Order is a calculated scheme aimed at causing mischief and hardship on the Landlord of the Premises and the innocent occupants who have been deprived of access to their business premises. The Business owners are not parties to the alleged agreement between Mr. Henry Ugonna Orabuchi, and Mr. Elvis Emecheta, over the 3,000 square meters of the reclaimed land behind their business premises and are not parties to the fundamental rights case before the Abuja Court. The judiciary should not be used to abuse its own process and to aid those with means to oppress innocent citizens.”
