Bliss Multinational Perfections Company Limited, a property developer, has taken the Bayelsa State Government and the State Physical Planning and Development Board to court over a 14-day deadline to demolish their multimillion-naira property.
The state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Biriyai Dambo, is also named as a second respondent in the YHC/187/2021 suit.
The company owns the structure that houses the headquarters of the embattled Baraza Multipurpose Cooperative Society, which was recently involved in a contentious failed repayment plan for the Society’s members and investors.
The company stated in its statement of claim and writ of summons filed before the state High Court in Yenagoa that the land on which the property is located at the Otiotio junction on the Mbiama/Yenagoa road in Yenizue-Gene community in the state’s Yenagoa Local Government Area was acquired in September 2014 and a deed of assignment was made between its company and that of the vendors company.
“The claimant states that following the purchase, it applied for a certificate of occupancy of the land, which was also granted,” it says.
The said consent certificate is hereby pleaded and shall be the basis for the matter’s hearing.
It also claims that prior to the granting of the consent certificate, it had already been granted an implementation/construction permit by the third defendant’s office, and that it had begun its head office project and later received development plan approval.
“At the end of the project, the third respondent’s office wrote the applicant a letter congratulating it on the successful completion of the project using best practices, quality building materials, and qualified personnel.”
That at all material times when the applicant’s head office was being built and inspections were being conducted by the agent.
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“The said implementation permit, as well as the development plan approval obtained from the third respondents’ office, are hereby pleaded and will be the basis for the hearing on the matter.”
Despite all of the other documents, the company claimed that they were surprised that the third respondent, an agency of the first respondent (Bayelsa State Government), had pasted a removal/demolition notice on the claimant’s head office.
The aforementioned removal/demolition notice is hereby pleaded and shall be supported in court.”
The company is seeking an order restraining the third respondent, Bayelsa Physical Planning and Development Board, their agents, assigns, and any other persons working for or on behalf of them from removing/demolishing the applicant’s head office in its Motion on Notice.
According to some senior government officials, the standoff between the Bayelsa State Physical Planning and Development Board and the owners of the buildings allegedly marked for demolition was caused by failed investments in the Baraza Multipurpose Cooperative society, which allegedly trapped millions of investors.
According to reports, Chief Gideon Ekeuwe, Chairman of the Bayelsa State Physical Planning and Development Board and former Secretary to the Government of Bayelsa State (SSG), is among the investors affected by the alleged failed contributory investment.
