The Enugu State Government has alleged that a private company, Simonis Ventures Nigeria Limited, falsified official documents in an attempt to unlawfully claim ownership of a parcel of land belonging to the state in Cadastral Zone B03, Wuye District, Abuja.
According to the state government, the disputed property is Plot 804, Wuye District, covering approximately 1.04 hectares, which it said Simonis Ventures sought to acquire through forged and fraudulent documentation.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Sunday, the General Manager of the Enugu State Housing Development Corporation, Dr. Gerald Asogwa, said investigations carried out by the Nigeria Police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) confirmed that the land is the legitimate property of Enugu State.
Asogwa explained that the original application for the plot was submitted by the Enugu State Government in 1992 during the administration of former Governor Okwesilieze Nwodo, and the allocation was officially approved on January 14, 1993. However, he noted that the allocation was mistakenly issued in the name of “Enugu State Property Development Corporation” rather than Enugu State Government or the Enugu State Housing Development Corporation.
He stressed that no entity known as Enugu State Property Development Corporation has ever existed, either at the time of the allocation or afterward, rendering the allocation to such a body legally invalid from the outset.
According to Asogwa, the dispute arose from an alleged transfer of the land in 2002 to Simonis Ventures Nigeria Limited, based on what he described as a forged and fraudulent Irrevocable Power of Attorney dated February 25, 2002, but suspiciously witnessed three years later in 2005. He said the document lacked a seal, did not carry the mandatory governor’s consent, was not countersigned by any government official, and failed to identify any lawful executor, describing it as a fabricated instrument designed to mislead authorities.
Upon discovering the irregularities, Asogwa said the Enugu State Government approached the Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS) for rectification. He stated that the erroneous allocation was subsequently cancelled, and Plot 804 was properly reallocated to the Enugu State Government. He added that the state thereafter secured a valid Right of Occupancy, Certificate of Occupancy, and all necessary building approvals, and had commenced development before the site was allegedly unlawfully demolished by individuals linked to Simonis Ventures.
Asogwa disclosed that efforts by the police to prosecute those responsible for the forged Power of Attorney were frustrated because the purported directors of the company turned out to be fictitious individuals, making prosecution impossible.
He also criticised attempts by Simonis Ventures to associate its directorship with members of the family of the late Senator Ayogu Eze, noting that the former senator had repeatedly affirmed that the land belonged to Enugu State. He recalled that during an EFCC investigation in Abuja in 2015, Senator Eze was identified as the individual who received the Certificate of Occupancy on behalf of the Enugu State Government and that he clearly stated he never laid personal claim to the land.
Addressing a court order allegedly relied upon by Simonis Ventures, Asogwa said no such order was ever served on the Enugu State Government, the Enugu State Housing Development Corporation, or any authorised representative of the state. He accused the company of abusing court processes and questioned why a purported order obtained in 2016 only resurfaced in 2025, after Senator Eze’s death.
He further alleged that in November 2025, Simonis Ventures filed an action at the Gwagwalada High Court to enforce the 2016 order, but fraudulently altered the content by expanding a one-paragraph ruling into two paragraphs and inserting reliefs that were never granted. He described this as a clear act of fraud and an abuse of judicial process, adding that Corporate Affairs Commission records showed that fictitious directors were later replaced with family members of the late senator.
Asogwa maintained that the alleged court order was fundamentally flawed, citing lack of service on the state, delayed awareness of the judgment, attempted enforcement through self-help rather than court bailiffs, absence of pre-action notice, failure to present a certified true copy of the judgment, and reliance on what he described as forged proof of service.
He accused Simonis Ventures, its alleged partner Zoe New Dawn, and one Stephen Achama of criminal activities, including attacks on workers at the site, destruction of property, and the illegal marketing of the land as if they were lawful owners.
The Enugu State Government stated that the property is currently under development as Woodlands Estate by Tout Moi Nigeria Limited, based on a valid contractual agreement with the state. Asogwa warned members of the public that anyone engaging in transactions with Simonis Ventures, Zoe New Dawn, or Achama in relation to the land does so at their own risk.
He emphasised that any purported sale or transfer of the land by Simonis Ventures is unlawful, null, and without legal effect, as the company holds no legitimate interest or authority over the property.
As of the time of the statement, Simonis Ventures Nigeria Limited had not responded to the allegations made by the Enugu State Government.