Posted by Bukola Ojeme on
THE family of a former Minister of Works, the Late Major General Abdulkarim Adisa and his mistress are locked in a fierce legal battle over the rightful ownership of some of his multi-million naira property in Abuja.
THE family of a former Minister of Works, the Late Major General Abdulkarim Adisa and his mistress are locked in a fierce legal battle over the rightful ownership of some of his multi-million naira property in Abuja.
Adisa died in a London hospital on February 25, 2005, from injuries sustained in a fatal motor accident in Ilorin, Kwara State.
The controversy over the choice properties followed claims by one Hajia Farida Adisa of being legally married to the Late General, a claim the late General's family had hotly contested.
She also claimed to be the owner of a house and cold room located in Abuja.
Hajia Adisa had on May 5, 2005, in suit number M/1339/05, before Justice S Bage of Abuja High Court, obtained leave of the court to stop the Inspector General of Police; Commissioner of Police of the Federal Capital Territory and Adisa's children from forcefully ejecting her from House 5, 124 Road, Kado Estate in Abuja as well as the recovery of other items in her possession.
The names of the children include: Alhaji Abidemi Abdulmumuni Adisa, Abayomi Ismail Adisa, Miss Ajibike Mariam Adisa and his Personal Assistant for over 30 years, Alhaji Iliyasu Adamu.
In the affidavit in support of her claim, exclusively obtained by Sunday Punch, Hajia Adisa averred that she got married to the late minister 19 years ago.
She said the only child she had for Adisa died sometime in 2004.
According to her, the building at Kado Estate was given to her as a gift by the former minister.
She claimed to have suffered all forms of indignity since the property became a subject of public controversy.
For instance, she said she was detained by the police in Abuja for two days in April because of the feud surrounding the property.
She said she was only released following the intervention of her lawyer.
Hadjia Adisa alleged that the other camp had threatened to re-arrest her with the police if she failed to relinquish the property.
However, members of the family are claiming that there is no iota of truth in her submissions.
They claimed that contrary to her claim, her real name is Hajiya Farida Tarfa and not Hajiya Farida Adisa.
Besides, the family said it was not true that she was indeed married to the former minister but that her first husband was one Late Gen. Paul Tarfa before she opted for one Alhaji Mohammed Shua'u.
According to the family, the latter was said to have converted her to a muslim and she had a female child for him.
The affidavit she sworn to reads: 'I Farida Adisa, Female, Adult, Muslim, Nigerian, Widow and Business woman of House 5, Road 124, Kado Housing Estate, Kado, Abuja do make oath and state as follows;
'That I am a widow of the Late General Abdulkarim Adisa; That I got married to my deceased husband according to both the Ibo Native Law and customs and Islamic law in 1986;
'That my deceased husband, General Abdulkarim Adisa (rtd) died on February 25, 2005 and was buried on February 27, 2005, according to muslim rites," she added.
Hajia Adisa stated further that: 'I had only one child, Abdulrazaq Bakare Chiedu Adisa, born on 27th August, 1986 at Greenwich District Hospital , London for my deceased husband, but the said child is also now deceased (sometime in 2004). My late husband gave me his cold room business at Wuse old market as a gift and to use the proceeds of business to maintain myself.
'That before my husband died, I was living and residing at the house he gave to me at Kado ie, House 5, Road 124, Kado Housing Estate, Kado Abuja;
'That the said house was given to me as a gift by my husband with the understanding that the gift would be legally perfected later on. He, however, assured me that, that was not a priority as I , being his wife, am legitimately entitled to inherit same as he has pronounced the said property as a gift to me," she added.
She informed the court that she was arrested and taken before the Acting Inspector General of Police, 'where I was detained between April 22 and 23, 2005, when I was released on bail following the intervention of my solicitor;
That I was not informed of the offence, if any, which I committed, neither was I charged to any court; That instead, I was only questioned about my occupation of my matrimonial residence at Kado, Abuja and about the cold room business at Wuse old market.
'That at the moment, I am on police bail, but the officers and servants of the 1st respondent have threatened to re-arrest and detain me unless I vacated my matrimonial residence at Kado, Abuja for the 3rd , 4th and 5th respondents and refund the amount of money for which the cold room equipment were sold to the said 3rd , 4th and 5th respondents," she stated.
The family of Adisa has, however, filed a notice of preliminary objection, challenging the grounds upon which the leave was granted in suit number 1989/05.
It was filed by Alhaji Adamu on behalf of General Adisa's family.
The family, alleged that she only bidded to renovate the building during a competitive bidding exercise involving other contractors.
It reads: 'I was a Personal Assistant to the Late General A. A. Adisa between 1966 till his death in a London hospital on February 25, 2005 as a result of the serious injuries he sustained in a ghastly motor accident in Nigeria;
'That I am, up till date, the person duly authorised by the legal heirs and other family members of Late General A. A. Adisa i.e. his only daughter, Miss Ajibike Maryam Adisa, a legal practitioner and her two younger brothers of the same mother and father to still continue to oversee his estate and other businesses in Nigeria, most especially that we are still compiling his assets for the purpose of sharing them to the legal heirs in accordance with Islamic law," he stated.
He added: 'I know as a fact that the said purported Hajiya Farida Adisa is not known with that name, but known as Hajiya Farida Tarfa, as she was not any time during the life time of the Late Gen A.A. Adisa ever married to him as falsely stated by her in all her three affidavits before this court.
'A copy of her statement to the police dated March 15, 2005 in which she stated that is hereby attached as Exhibit 'D"; that between 1982 and the death of Late Gen A. A. Adisa on February 25, 2005, she married one General Paul Tarfa and her last husband was one Alhaji Mohammed Shua'u, who converted her to Islam to whom she presently has a daughter of nine years old, who is still alive.
'That I know as a fact that, the said Hajia Farida was only a close of the Late General A. A. Adisa, which relationship only started in earnest in January, 2004 herein Abuja but that up to the time he died , he never married her;
'That the house in dispute was never given to her as a gift by the Late Gen A. A. Adisa prior to his death as she was not residing at the said House 5, 124 Road, Kado Estate, Abuja, but that she was residing at No 6 Aso Drive, Maitama, Abuja; that the said house was rented to the office of the NSA, Aso Rock Villa, Abuja by the Late Gen A. A. Adisa and they packed out of the said House 5, 124 Road, Kado Estate, Abuja on or about the May 29, 2004," he added.
Adamu averred that the building in dispute was to be renovated and converted to a personal Guest House by Adisa, following which Hajia Farida Tarfa allegedly bidded for and won the contract to renovate the house at the cost of N1.3million.
'So many contractors bidded for the renovation of the said house, including the plaintiff through her company, Obesin Connection, to which she submitted a quotation of N1.3 millon only, which the Late Gen Adisa approved in my presence and awarded her the contract, to which she was paid an initial down payment of N1,150,000 million only vide First Bank PLC, Ilorin Branch, cheque No 10161311 of December 20, 2004 and the balance of N150,000 only, was paid to her in cash through me from the Late Gen A.A. Adisa," he said.
He re-iterated: 'I personally handed over the keys of the said house to her for the purposes of renovation sometime in December, 2004.
'The plaintiff was still residing at No 6 Aso Drive, Maitama, Abuja up to March 12, 2005, when she moved into House 5, 124 Road, Kado Estate, Abuja, the personal residence of the Late Gen A.A. Adisa, which she was only awarded a contract to renovate without the consent or knowledge of the heirs of the deceased," Alhaji Adamu stated.
Hearing on the matter has been fixed for July 12, 2005.