A firm, which is one of the parties in the River Park Estate crisis, Houses for Africa Nigeria Limited, has written to a senior lawyer, Anthony Aikhunegbe Malik, SAN, accusing him of filing a suit purporting to represent the firm, which did not originate from them.
It had earlier been reported that the lawyers working for a real estate developer, Paul Odili, were exposed for allegedly impersonating JonahCapital Nigeria Limited in an attempt to sue the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and overturn the findings of the Ministerial Committee on River Park Estate.
In a formal letter addressed to Chief Malik, Houses for Africa Nigeria Limited unequivocally dissociated itself from the suit, stressing that neither its board nor management authorised the filing.
The letter warned that such actions constitute criminal impersonation and violate the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners.
The letter also directed Chief Malik to withdraw the suit immediately to prevent what it described as “further desecration of the corporate integrity of Houses for Africa Nigeria Limited.”
It emphasised that any legal steps concerning the estate must originate from the company’s duly authorised representatives and board resolutions, not third parties acting unilaterally.
In the letter addressed to High Chief Anthony Aikhunegbe Malik, SAN, the firm said, “Our attention has been drawn to a suit filed by your firm, A. A. Malik & Co, purportedly in the name of Houses for Africa Nigeria Ltd against the Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and the FCDA. This development has come to us as a shock, not least because the said action was instituted without the knowledge, authority, or consent of the Board of Houses for Africa Nigeria Ltd.
“We are also aware that the matter was originally assigned to Court 38 (Jikwoyi), but was thereafter, under circumstances requiring serious scrutiny transferred to Court 37 (Jikwoyi). This raises further questions about motives surrounding this purported action.
“Accordingly, we hereby demand that you immediately withdraw the said suit and furnish us with written evidence of compliance no later than 12:00 noon on Monday, 29th September 2025.
“Please be informed that failure to comply with this directive will leave us with no option but to petition the relevant law enforcement agencies, the Body of Benchers, the Honourable Chief Justice of Nigeria, and the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee regarding your conduct in this matter.
“We expect your immediate cooperation to forestall the escalation of this matter, as a stitch in time saves nine.”
In a separate communication to the FCT Minister, Houses for Africa went further, pointing out the bizarre assignment of courts in which the matter was filed.
The letter raised concerns that the case was hurriedly assigned to Justice Mohammed Zubairu of the FCT High Court, despite the existence of multiple ongoing suits on the same subject matter.
The company argued that this unusual court assignment smacks of forum-shopping and was aimed at securing a favourable ruling that could undermine the Ministerial Committee’s findings.
The letter urged the Minister’s office to take steps to protect the integrity of the administration’s decisions and prevent “rogue litigation” from reversing the progress already made in sanitising the River Park Estate dispute.
It was signed by Kojo Ansah Mensah, the MD/CEO of the firm.
Observers have expressed serious concerns over the integrity of due process in the latest suit.
Legal experts warn that allowing such matters to proceed without first verifying the standing of the plaintiff could embolden further abuses of Nigeria’s judicial system.
Given that JonahCapital and Houses for Africa have repeatedly issued notices of dissociation and are considering escalation to the NBA, this case could set a precedent for how Nigerian courts deal with unauthorised representation and abuse of legal process.
With back-to-back cases first filed by Paulo Homes’ lawyers and now by Chief Malik, a clear pattern emerges — one that suggests deliberate attempts to frustrate government decisions through unauthorised litigation.
The corporate owners have vowed to fight back, seeking redress through professional and regulatory bodies to restore confidence in Abuja’s legal and commercial environment.
The River Park Estate saga is no longer just a property dispute — it has become a test case for legal ethics, judicial integrity, and corporate governance in Nigeria. With the matter now before Justice Mohammed Zubairu of the FCT High Court, the coming weeks will determine whether the judiciary upholds due process or allows questionable suits to derail Abuja’s most high-profile estate development.
When the senior advocate, Malik, was contacted by newsmen, he insisted he had been briefed in writing by Houses for Africa Nigeria Limited; a claim denied by the Chief Executive Officer of the company.
According to the CEO Mr Kojo Ansah, the Office of the Minister has been informed by the alleged impersonation, noting that if the senior lawyer fails to dissociate and withdraw Houses of Africa Nigeria from the suit, a complaint shall be filed at the Disciplinary Committee of the Nigeria Bar Association and Body of Benchers.