Cityscape Lands In Another Trouble Over N250m Lekki Land

MICHAEL AKINOLA

This may not be the best of times for real estate company known as Cityscape International limited, whose office is located at Lekki, Lagos, following the latest allegations of land grabbing scam of N250m trailing them recently.

P.M.EXPRESS reports that the latest scandal is coming as the Federal High Court, Lagos Division, granted interim orders in favour of Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) to take over the assets of Cityscape International Limited over the company’s N6 billion debt.

Probably the taking over of the assets of the company by AMCON may have informed the once reputable estate company management led by CEO, Akinwale Akinmusire, to resort to grabbing the land that they have already sold several years ago to buyers and reselling, thereby causing confusion at Buena Vista Estate, Lafiaji town, Lekki, Lagos.
This followed the recent petition to the Inspector General of Police, IGP, over the scam by the company through land grabbing.

It was gathered that the company sold eight plots of land to one Wole Ogun since 2013 and sold the same land to another buyer despite the fact that Mr. Ogun had obtained the Governor’s consent over the parcels of land.
The scam was exposed when the new buyer, whose identify was yet unknown, went to the land to sandfill the place. When he was confronted, he claimed he was not aware that the land was already sold to someone else by the company. He was then told that the land had been bought by Mr. Ogun and he became speechless. He was said to be in dilemma on what to do as the original owner had appeared with proof of purchase of the said land several years ago.

When our correspondent visited the place, he saw the caterpillar, which was used to sandfill the land.
When he contacted Mr. Ogun on phone, he confirmed that he bought the land several years ago and was given the documents of the purchase including the Lagos State Governor’s consent, which was duly registered in the state land registry.

Efforts to reach the CEO of Cityspace proved abortive as he was said to have travelled abroad after AMCON took over the company’s property over the debt.
It was gathered that AMCON had since appointed Mr. Anire Kanyi as the receiver to Cityscape, a major player in the real estate sector in the country.
The Presiding Judge, Justice A.M. Anka, while granting the order on the application of the counsel to AMCON, restrained Mr. Akinwale Akinmusire, who is the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Cityscape, from challenging, interfering with or otherwise obstructing or frustrating the receiver (Mr. Anire Kanyi) appointed by AMCON over the assets of the company.
The Court also mandated the receiver to take over and preserve all the assets of Cityscape, including the property situated at Buena Vista Estate, Lafiaji Town, Lekki, Lagos State, measuring 25.52 hectares, being assets covered by Deed of Legal Mortgage dated December 2009 and registered as No. 12 at page 12 in Volume 2014 at the Land Registry, Ikeja (Mortgaged and charged for a loan granted to Cityscape International Limited and guaranteed by Mr. Akinwale Akinmusire).
According to the judge, the order was pursuant to section 34, 35 and 48 of the AMCON Act 2010, section 6 of the AMCON (Amendment) Act 2015 and the Deed of Appointment pending the determination of the Motion on Notice filed along with the motion.
The order also restrained Cityscape, Akinmusire, Cityscape directors, shareholders, agents, servants, employees and or privies howsoever named, or any other person acting under their authority, from interfering with or otherwise obstructing the receiver in the course of his duties.
Justice Anka, however, ordered all banks and financial institutions, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), agencies, institutions and organisations having custody of Cityscape’s fund to furnish the receiver or his office the details of any sums standing to the credit.
This may have caused the company to have engaged in this latest episode of land grabbing scam.

e of buying the land several years ago.
When our correspondent visited the place, our reporter saw the Caterpillar which was used to sandfill the land.
When our correspondent contacted mr Ogun on phone, he confirmed that he bought the land several years ago and was given documents over the purchase including the Lagos state Governor’s consent which is duly registered in the state land registry.
Efforts to reach the CEO of Cityspace proved abortive as it was said that he had travelled abroad after AMCON took over the company`s property over the debt.
It was gathered that AMCON has since appointed Mr Anire Kanyi as the receiver to Cityscape, a major player in the real-estate sector in the country.
The presiding judge, Justice A.M. Anka, while granting the order on the application of counsel to AMCON, restrained Mr.Akinwale Akinmusire, who is the Managing Director/Chief Executive Office of Cityscape “from challenging, interfering with or otherwise obstructing or frustrating the receiver (Mr. Anire Kanyi) appointed by AMCON over the assets of the company.”
The Court also mandated the receiver to take over and preserve all the assets of Cityscape, including the property situated at Buena Vista Estate, Lafiaji Town, Lekki, Lagos State, measuring 25.52 hectares, being assets covered by Deed of Legal Mortgage dated December 2009 and registered as No. 12 at page 12 in Volume 2014 at the Land Registry, Ikeja (Mortgaged and charged for a loan granted to Cityscape International Limited and guaranteed by Mr. Akinwale Akinmusire).
According to the judge, the order was pursuant to section 34, 35 and 48 of the AMCON Act 2010, section 6 of the AMCON (Amendment) Act 2015 and the Deed of Appointment pending the determination of the Motion on Notice filed along with the motion.
The order also restrained Cityscape, Akinmusire, Cityscape directors, shareholders, agents, servants, employees and or privies howsoever named, or any other person acting under their authority, from interfering with or otherwise obstructing the receiver in the course of his duties.
Justice Anka, however, ordered all banks and financial institutions, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), agencies, institutions and organisations having custody of Cityscape’s fund to furnish the receiver or his office the details of any sums standing to the credit.
This may have caused the company to have engaged in this latest episode of land grabbing scam.