By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
Former Governor of old Anambra State, Senator Jim Nwobodo, and his wife, Patricia, are set for parallel legal battles with Lagos businessman and investor, Dr. Basil Ogbuanu, over a disputed ₦235 million land transaction in Enugu.
The dispute, which centres on the sale of four plots of land at Patson Estate, Independent Layout, Enugu, has escalated into cross suits, with Ogbuanu demanding ₦5.8 billion in damages, while the Nwobodos have filed a counterclaim seeking ₦1.2 billion in general damages.
Court filings indicated that Ogbuanu, Chief Executive Officer of Second Coming Nigeria Limited, became involved in the dispute five years after purchasing the plots said to have been carved out of the Nwobodos’ estate.
The plaintiff, through his counsel, Chukwudi Obieze, SAN, in Suit No. E/238/2016, stated that he bought plots R/18, R/19, R/20 and another adjoining parcel after paying the agreed consideration to the vendors.
He maintained that the purchase was made “in good faith, honesty, and upon furnished consideration to the vendor.”
However, the businessman alleged that while construction was ongoing on the land, Mrs. Nwobodo stormed the site on January 16 and 17, 2026, and supervised the demolition of structures already nearing completion.
In the originating processes, the plaintiff described the action as an “illegal, malicious destruction” of his buildings.
He further told the court that the demolition caused substantial financial loss, psychological trauma, mental agony and humiliation.
Consequently, Ogbuanu is asking the court to award ₦5.8 billion as damages arising from the disputed transaction and the destruction of property on the site.
Aside from Senator Nwobodo and his wife, the plaintiff joined seven other defendants in the suit, including three companies linked to the family Linkana Hotels Limited, Millennium Construction and Estate Developers Limited, and Moss Island Limited.
Meanwhile, the defendants have also approached the court with a counter suit, seeking ₦1.2 billion in general damages, thereby setting the stage for a prolonged legal contest over ownership rights, contractual obligations and alleged trespass.
