Court Stops Ekiti From Ejecting Tenants

An Ado-Ekiti High Court has restrained the Ekiti State government and its Housing Corporation from ejecting the embattled residents of Irewolede Estate, pending its ruling on December 9.

Governor Ayo Fayose served a notice to eject those who fail to complete their mortgages  by November 30. The defaulters were to be ejected from yesterday.

Those ejected on August 5 were reinstated, following intervention of monarchs  and prominent citizens of the state.

The residents approached the court to enforce their rights when the Housing Corporation, acting on the governor’s instruction, asked them to complete their mortgage within one month instead of the five to 15 years in their agreement.

The government, thereafter, gave the residents a respite of three months to pay up or be ejected. The ultimatum expired on November 30.

The residents prayed the court to restrain the Housing Corporation from further ejecting or harassing them, pending the determination of the matter.

While the matter was pending before Justice Bamidele Omotoso of High Court 7, the Housing Corporation issued revocation letters and gave them seven days to vacate their property.

This prompted another application by the residents through their counsel, R. O Balogun, praying for the nullification of the revocation letters.

They asked that the general manager of the Housing Corporation be committed to prison for contempt of court.

The court, after taking the application for interlocutory injunction filed by their counsel, Rafiu Balogun, adjourned ruling till December 9.

When the judge’s attention was drawn to the threat to forcefully eject the residents on December 1, the court warned the government not to undermine the court’s integrity or destroy the subject matter.

Justice Bamidele Omotoso mandated the government’s lawyer to properly advise his client and order that the status quo be maintained, pending his ruling.

—thenationonlineng