Acting in accordance to a piece of advice given by the judge handling the case of the disputed property, Ile Arugbo, between the late political icon in Kwara state, Dr Olusola Saraki, and the state government, lead counsel to the Saraki in the matter, Abdulazeez Ibraheem, have asked for out of court settlement of the matter.

In a letter dated January 20, 2020, titled, Re: Suit No: KWS/463/2019 (Asa investment limited versus Governor of Kwara state and 4 ors), written to the attorney general and commissioner for Justice, Kwara state ministry of Justice, Salman Jawondo, Ibraheem said the letter was written on the instructions of his client, the claimant.

It is recalled that the judge handling the matter, Justice A.A. Adebara of the state High Court, had during last sitting on the case on January 15 urged all parties in the case to maintain their calm and seek for peaceful resolution of the issue.

“The first paramount thing for this court is to encourage all parties to settle the case amicably out of court; nothing is impossible. Settlement out of court is never too late to explore. I want the two sides to believe that by the special grace of God peace will prevail. I am appealing to the two sides that there should be a mutual understanding”, he had said.

The letter by the Saraki counsel, which was copied to the inspector general of police and registrar, Justice A.A. Adebara Court was received by Jawondo on January 21, 2020.

“We are counsel to the claimant in the above suit on whose behalf and instructions we write you on the above.

“Pursuant to the advice and directive of the court on the above matter that parties should explore settlement, our client has directed us to notify you of its disposition to explore settlement with the view to resolve the outstanding dispute between parties in respect of the subject matter in contention.

“Consequently, we hereby request that you should use your good office as the Chief Law Officer of the state to make the necessary arrangements as to time and venue where parties can meet and discuss.

“While trusting that our request herein would be treated with the needed swift attention it deserves, kindly accept the assurances of our esteem regards”, it read.

Meanwhile, the state High Court sitting in Ilorin had fixed today, Friday, January 24, 2020, for the commencement of hearing proper on the case.

Agents of the state government had in a dawn operation on January 2, 2020, demolished some

structures on plots of land at the Ilofa road, GRA Ilorin, belonging to the late Second Republic Senate Leader, Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki, alleging illegal acquisition.

Dissatisfied with the government’s action, the Asa Investments Limited filed a motion ex-parte through its counsel, AbdulAzeez Ibraheem for a stay of execution on the further demolition of the property.

The court accordingly restrained the defendants and anyone acting on their behalf from further demolishing or further destroying the alleged property of the claimant.

Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, state House of Assembly, state Attorney General and Justice Commissioner, Director General, Kwara Bureau of Lands and the Inspector General of Police are the defendants in the suit.

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