THE Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) on Friday sealed the gates of the upscale Efab Metropolis Estate in Karsana, trapping several high-profile residents inside, over an alleged ₦600 million tenement rate debt dating back to 2022.
The enforcement, which began around 8 a.m., saw more than 20 AMAC officials, supported by security operatives, padlock the estate’s vehicular entrances while allowing only pedestrian passage.
The dramatic action left residents including serving lawmakers, prominent businessmen, and retired Supreme Court Justice Paul Adamu Galumje, stranded and furious.
One resident, identified as Barrister Nwosu, condemned the move as an illegal act of detention.
“I am due in court by 9am You cannot illegally detain us over a dispute between AMAC and the estate management,” he fumed.
Estate Facility Manager, Mr. Kabiru Bello, accused AMAC of contempt of court, insisting the matter was already being litigated.
“We filed a suit last month challenging this tenement rate demand. AMAC was duly served, and this action is in violation of the court process,” he argued.
The tense standoff was eventually defused when Justice Galumje and a serving member of the House of Representatives intervened in closed-door talks with AMAC officials. After the meeting, the council granted the estate a 24-hour grace period to address the payment dispute.
Speaking to journalists after the negotiations, AMAC’s Coordinator of Tenement Rate, Amb. Alewa Nasiru, stressed that residents had been served with rate notices and must comply with the law.
“Once you are a resident, you should know your obligations. We are willing to resolve this amicably, but they do not have the right to stop us from performing our duties,” Nasiru said.
Justice Galumje, on his part, called for strict adherence to court orders while pledging to personally mediate the dispute.
“I abhor the attitude of those who disregard court orders. Anyone who prevents their execution should be sanctioned. I will be part of the resolution of this matter,” he said.
