A Sagamu High Court in Ogun has fixed June 7 for the hearing of a suit filed by a community against the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Sagamu Local Government Council and other to compel them to render account of the various sums allegedly collected as rents and revenues in respect of a 53-acre land on Akarigbo Road, Sagamu.
Representatives of the Efure Community, Offin in Sagamu had instituted the suit against a foreign company, Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Trust Association Ltd, the Registrar of Titles in Ogun State, the Methodist Church of Nigeria, the Sagamu Local Government Council and seven other defendants.
Addressing the court, Counsel to the Claimants, Babatunde Oshilaja, said in spite of proofs that the originating process and the summons for the account had been served on all the defendants, they have yet to file any defence.
The claimants are among others seeking an order to compel the church, the council and others to refund monies that might be found to be due to the claimants as the owners of the land after the enquiry.
The claimant alleged that the defendants not only unlawfully occupied their land but let part of it to other persons from whom they collected rents and revenue for several years.
The Efure Community, represented by Samuel Banjo, Emmanuel Adelesi, Kolawole Odugbesi and Mansur Baruwa-Banjo, claimed that the foreign company breached several terms and conditions of the lease agreement it entered into with the owners of the land in 1931 including non-payment of the annual rent in the sum of one shilling (Nigeria’s old currency before it changed to Naira in January 1,1973).
They land owners want a re-possession of the land and damages in form of alleged losses they suffered for the continuing trespass committed by the defendants for occupying the land.
Counsel to the Sagamu Local Government Council, Fola Yusuf, who admitted receipt of all the processes filed by the claimants in the suit, told the court that he would file appropriate responses.
After the mention of the case, Justice A.A. Babawale fixed June 7 for the hearing of the suit.
The court also indicated that it would hear the application of three other defendants in the case, who asked for extension of time to file their defence.
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