The family of the late Brigadier General Lawrence Zidougha has appealed for urgent intervention, accusing the Nigerian Navy of the unlawful occupation of a prime property in Port Harcourt for over two decades.
Mr Zidougha Bodiseowei Desmond, the son of the late General, alleges that the Navy has consistently flouted both judicial rulings and administrative directives to vacate or compensate the family for the property located at Plot 81, Rose Ada George, near GRA Phase 1.
The property in question is currently being utilised as a guest house for the Commander of NNS Pathfinder. According to Mr Desmond, the occupation began shortly after his father’s demise in 2001. Brigadier General Zidougha died in active service at the age of 53 while serving as the Commander of Army Records and Pensions in Lokoja.
Desmond stated that despite his father’s distinguished service to the nation, the Navy has occupied the residence for more than twenty years without paying rent or providing any form of compensation to the estate of the deceased.
The complainant revealed that several high-level meetings held at Naval Headquarters yielded no resolution. He asserted that while Naval officials had previously undertaken to settle rent arrears, vacate the premises, or purchase the property outright, these promises have remained unfulfilled.
Frustrated by the impasse, the family sought redress in the judiciary. A High Court in Rivers State subsequently ruled in favour of the Zidougha family, issuing an order for the Nigerian Navy to vacate the premises. Mr Desmond, however, expressed dismay that the Service has refused to comply with the court’s judgment.
“It is deeply frustrating,” Mr Desmond remarked. “We have the original purchase agreement dating back to 1989. We have a court judgment. Yet, a public institution remains in defiance of the law.”
The dispute has also reached the highest levels of federal administration. The property was reportedly listed for compensation under a Federal Government panel, leading the Ministry of Defence to direct the Navy to either settle the outstanding payments or relinquish the property. To date, this directive has allegedly been ignored.
Furthermore, Mr Desmond alleged that the Navy attempted to bypass the family by writing to the Rivers State Government to acquire the property formally. However, the state authorities reportedly rebuffed the move, directing the Navy to engage with Mr Desmond as the rightful and legal owner.
Armed with all relevant title documents, including the 1989 purchase agreement, Mr Desmond called upon the relevant authorities to enforce the rule of law. He emphasised that the continued occupation not only denies the family their rightful inheritance but also undermines the memory of a senior officer who dedicated his life to the Nigerian Army.
The Nigerian Navy has yet to issue an official statement regarding the specific allegations of defiance of the court order or the status of the ongoing mediation with the Ministry of Defence.
Leave a comment