N7bn Inheritance: Appeal Court Summons Ex-NASS Clark, Siblings Over Late Father’s Estate

The Grand Khadi of the FCT Sharia Court of Appeal, Ibrahim Rufai Imam, has summoned former Clark of the National Assembly, Mohammed Ataba Sani-Omolori, over a suit filed against him by his siblings regarding his alleged inability to account for the family estate left behind by their late father.

Ataba’s invitation is the latest development in the 27-year tussle over the N7 billion estate of the late Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Muhammed Sani Omolori, who died in 1996 after ruling Ebiraland for 40 years.

THE WHISTLER gathered that the late Kogi monarch’s children will in the coming days meet one-on-one at the Grand Khadi’s office in Abuja in what may be an attempt at mediation between the siblings.

A letter addressed to Ataba by the Grand Khadi and seen by THE WHISTLER on Thursday said the scheduled meeting is in connection with “the distribution of your late father’s estate”.

The letter signed by the Grand Kadi’s legal assistant, Farida Shehu Malami, said the meeting will take place on May 3, 2023. A similar letter was written to Ataba’s siblings.

THE WHISTLER had exclusively reported how Ataba’s siblings accused him of appropriating for himself the estate meant to be shared by children of the late monarch.

They had filed a petition before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) seeking investigations into how a briefcase containing original documents of their late father’s properties was stolen days after his death.

They identified some of the properties to include: “Maitama (FCT/ABU/KW.885, PLOT NUMBER 2715 ZONE A 6), Katampe (FCT/ABU/MISC 8875, PLOT NUMBER 660 667867)06 DISTRICT, CADASTRAL ZONE 7), and Mabushi (KW1259, PLOT NUMBER 205, CADZONE: B06)”

The petition further stated, “Other lands whose documents we can’t get a hold on are the Asokoro and another Maitama plot said to be where the German Embassy is located.

“Our father had leased the Maitama plots (2715) to BODCO-TRUST INVESTMENTS LIMITED for a period of 20 years and part of the agreement with the agency is to build a house worth 3-4 million naira on the land and by the end of the contract the land plus the structure they constructed will be returned to our father, unfortunately, he died before the agreed time elapsed. He had spoken about his Maitama and Katampe lands to some of us Just months before he passed away.

“Our father’s briefcase where all original documents and other valuables are kept was stolen before his 8th-day prayer. We believe that anyone responsible for any of the above-mentioned lands should be made to provide the other ones whose papers are not handy.”