Wife, children cry foul over sale of Dabo’s estate

Mrs Christine Dabo Adzuana, a wife of late prominent politician in Benue State, Chief Godwin Dabo Adzuana, has cried foul over the sale of her late husband’s property situated along Otukpo road in Makurdi metropolis of the state.

The wife, alongside three children—Michelle Dabo Adzuana, Dooshima Dabo Adzuana and Elizabeth Dabo Adzuana, all of No. 11 Dabo Adzuana Street in Makurdi are challenging the sale of the Dabo shopping mall and the distribution of the sum accruable in favour of the children of the testator who has interests in the plaza.

In a letter of complaints addressed to the office of the administrator of the estate of the late Chief Adzuana, High Court 3 in Makurdi and dated November 6, 2023, Mrs Christine Dabo (Esq) and the trio through their counsel, Bernard Hom, SAN, are requesting that the process of distribution of the proceeds from the sale of the mall be suspended until parties are on the same page over all contending issues.

The counsel argued that the estate of the late elder statesman had some chequered history after his demise, starting with contesting the authenticity of his will during its declaration which led the High Court to appointing an interim administrator on December 19, 2012.

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The move as explained by the counsel was at the behest of the larger Dabo family and the court with intent to salvage the properties left behind by the deceased politician who passed away on March 10, 2012.

Our correspondent reports that at least three interim administrators including the present one had overseen the property from 2012 till date wherein the shopping mall of the deceased located at plot number 8981 Makurdi-Otukpo road was said to have been sold.

But the crux of the matter as presently contended by Christine, one of the wives of the late Dabo, and three of his children followed sale of the shopping plaza which is one among many of his properties and containing a total of 64 shops bequeathed to nine of his children including the trio.

“Our clients informed us that their interest was not represented at the above transaction as they were neither informed nor carried along in the process, therefore, they do not consent to the sale and distribution of the proceeds,” the counsel explained.

He further stated that the decision of his clients was partially predicated on the fact that sometime in 2009, the property purportedly to have been sold had a capital value of N708,002,480 million and its forced sale value at N492,001,653.33 million as contained in a valuation certificate attached to their complaints.

He contended that the same property now said to have been sold in 2023 at the sum of “N150,000,000 remained in the honest view of his clients below its value,” adding that it was done in bad faith by the parties to the sale and against the interest of his clients.

The counsel added, “Our clients view this sale by the executor and his companions as a hogwash which for them infringes on their rights as beneficiaries and call to question the executor who is to protect the interest of the estate of the deceased.

“This attitude doubts the sincerity of those involved in the sale and robs our clients of participation in the sale as members of the extended late Dabo family.

“We kindly request on their behalf that the process of distribution of the proceeds from the sale of the mall be suspended until parties are on the same page in respect of all the contending issues.

“On the whole, our clients do not agree to the sale of the mall, as worst still they do not even know who is the purchaser of the mall as those concerned including the executor (Akor Yaaya, Esq) have refused to disclose to them the person who purchased the property and even to avail them with the copy of the purchase agreement.”

When Daily Trust contacted the executor, Akor Yaaya (Esq), he said he would not comment as the matter is sub judice.