The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Bwari, Abuja, has scheduled 21 January for the hearing of a land dispute involving the Federal Housing Authority (FHA), AIBEN Properties Ltd and Tolwu Integrated Properties Ltd.
Justice M. A. Madugu fixed the date after granting an interim order restraining the FHA and AIBEN Properties Ltd from encroaching on a parcel of land along 5th Avenue, 52 Road, Gwarinpa II, Phase I, Abuja.
Tolwu Integrated Properties Ltd approached the court through Suit No: FCT/HC/BW/CV/227/25 and Motion No: M/16887/25, seeking an order to preserve the status quo pending the determination of a substantive suit before the court.
In his ruling, Justice Madugu ordered all parties to maintain the status quo in respect of the disputed land until the hearing of the Motion on Notice, referenced as M/16886/25. The matter was adjourned to 21 January 2026 for hearing.
The claimant alleged that AIBEN Properties Ltd encroached on the land and carved out approximately 6,000 square metres, allegedly with the support of FHA officials.
According to the company, the alleged encroachment led to the demolition of part of its fence, forcing it to obtain a restraining order from the FCT High Court on 1 July 2025. It further alleged that despite the court order, FHA officials accompanied by armed police officers returned to the site on 15 December 2025 and again demolished the fence, during which its pregnant managing director was allegedly assaulted.
The company claimed that following the demolition, excavation works commenced on the land at night, prompting it to seek further court intervention.
The dispute centres on the size of the land allocation. While the FHA reportedly maintains that the land measures 16,000 square metres and that an additional 6,000 square metres was illegally occupied, Tolwu Integrated Properties Ltd argued that official records show the land measures about 22,000 square metres after survey.
The firm stated that the land was originally allocated to Savannah Suites & Restaurant Ltd and later transferred to it through a consent letter dated 13 March 2013. It added that the allocation letter made the land size subject to survey, after which the area was confirmed as exceeding 20,000 square metres.
Tolwu Integrated Properties Ltd also cited a Change of Use approval issued by the FHA in July 2023, which it said expressly recognised the land size as 22,017.233 square metres.
The company further alleged that since acquiring the land in 2013, all official correspondence and financial documents issued by the FHA reflected the larger land size, and that although its development plans submitted in May 2025 were approved, the authority failed to issue the bill required to commence construction.
