Nigeria: Naturalised Danish Citizen, Nigerian Army Officer Fight Over Multi-Million Property in Edo

15 January 2023

A Nigerian-born naturalised Danish citizen, Kelvin Uyi Martins, who is serving in the Danish Army, and Major Lucky Ogiemudia of the Nigerian Army, are currently at loggerheads over the Danish Army officer's revocation of Power of Attorney to the Nigerian Army officer.

The disagreement became public through petitions written by lawyers to both parties over a multi-million naira duplex belonging to the Danish citizen, which he had earlier given authority to the Nigerian military officer to oversee same, which is located at No. 27, Roland Abanor Street, GRA, Benin City, Edo State.

Trouble started between the duo when the naturalised Danish citizen instructed his counsel, Barrister Douglas Ogbankwa, to revoke the Power of Attorney given to Major Ogiemudia.

The petition addressed to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Farouk Yahaya and copied the Provost Marshal, Nigerian Army, and the Directorate of Legal Services, alleged that Major Ogiemudia had breached the terms of the agreement, urging the Nigerian military authorities to call him to order.

"That our client revoked the said Power of Attorney vide a notice of Revocation of Power of Attorney dated 6th December, 2022 duly endorsed by a Notary Public in his hand and seal, which totally extinguished and obliterated the same.

"That the said Major Lucky Ogiemudia in an audacious response, wrote to our client admitting to be in Breach of Code for Public Officers, by the content of his letter and demanded for N5 million from our client for no known reason whatsoever, which action is admission of his culpability of his breach of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers," the petition stated.

But, the counsel to Major Ogiemudia, Emeka Obasi Esq through a counter-petition to the Danish military officer had expressed shock over the revocation notice served his client (Major Ogiemudia) having incurred bills on the said property to the tune of N5,000,000

Part of the counter-petition reads, "Our client was surprised when he was served with a Notice of Revocation executed on the 6th December, 2022 which said Notice was received with thanks by our client.

"However, our client has over the years incurred huge expenses under the said Power of Attorney which now need to be fully settled and our client reimbursed for all out of pocket expenses incurred."

The said properties in question include a duplex, other landed properties and a Toyota Highlander vehicle.

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