The N235 million land transaction battle between former governor of old Anambra State, Senator Jim Nwobodo, his wife Patricia, and a Lagos businessman, Dr Basil Ogbuanu, has now been taken to the Enugu State High Court. The dispute over the land sale and the attendant destruction of Ogbuanu’s buildings under construction made the businessman sue Nwobodo for N5.8 billion damages, while the defendants countersued Ogbuanu, asking for N1.2 billion in general damages.
Ogbuanu claimed in the suit marked E/238/2026 filed by his counsel, Chukwudi Obieze (SAN), that he paid for the plots R/18, R/19, R/20 and R/21 “in good faith, honesty, and upon furnished consideration to the vendor” at Patson Estate, Independence Layout, Enugu, and began construction of his buildings. He alleged that while building construction was ongoing, Mrs Nwobodo “invaded” the site on January 16 and 17, 2026, and carried out “illegal and malicious destruction” of his nearly completed buildings. He claimed the destruction inflicted financial losses, psychological trauma, mental agony, and humiliation.
Ogbuanu also joined seven others, including three companies owned by the Nwobodos – Linkana Hotels Limited, Millennium Construction and Estate Developers Limited, and Moss Island Limited. He claimed in his statement that the three companies were used in the transactions, adding, however, that both Linkana Hotels and Moss Island are presently listed as “inactive” by the Corporate Affairs Commission in its status report.
Ogbuanu alleged that the three companies linked to Nwobodo were used to collect a total sum of N235 million, which he paid for the four plots of land in 2021 through his own sister, Nwamaka Karen Umeh, a lawyer, and was issued an offer letter and receipt by Millennium Construction and Estate Developers Limited. He added that he visited the Nwobodos with gifts during the Christmas season of 2023 to inform them of his intention to commence development and to obtain the former governor’s blessings.
Ogbuanu alleged that during the visit, Nwobodo promised to make available to him the title documents of the land, but never fulfilled the promise. He claimed that the defendant later asked him to stay off the land and have his money refunded. He stated that, having waited for the title documents to no avail, he commenced the building project after obtaining official permission from both the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority and the Ministry of Lands.
He added that while construction was ongoing, Mrs Nwobodo visited the building site on January 16, 2026, in the company of her police orderly and “caused a scene”, adding that his nearly completed buildings and stored building materials were all destroyed. The estate developer alleged that police and thugs were mobilised to handle the task, adding that he was arrested along with three of his workers and charged in the Magistrate’s court, Enugu, for alleged assault and detention of Mrs Nwobodo at the building site.
However, the Magistrate court struck out the charges last month for lack of diligent prosecution and awarded N1 million cost in favour of Ogbuanu. Following the losses he incurred, the claimant is seeking N5 billion in general damages for trespass and destruction of buildings and building materials. He is also asking for a perpetual injunction, restraining the defendants, their servants, agents, and privies from further trespassing into the lands.
But Nwobodo and his wife have jointly filed a counter suit marked E/244/2026, telling the court that “there is no valid or enforceable sale, assignment, or transfer of any portion” of their estate to Ogbuanu. In the suit filed by their counsel, C.M Agbo, they claimed a total of N1.25 billion for general damages and medical expenses arising from the trauma they suffered at the hands of Ogbuanu.
In their statement of claims, the couple alleged that “the defendant, through his lawyer, deceitfully paid money to them in respect of the purported purchase of a plot of land.” They want the court to make an order “compelling the defendant to take a refund of the money paid in respect of the said land forthwith.” In addition to an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendant from further entry and interference with their estate, the counterclaimants asked for N20 million as special damages for medical expenses they allegedly incurred after the incident of January 16, 2026. They also want the court to award them N1 billion “as general, aggravated and exemplary damages for assault, false imprisonment, trespass, intimidation, trauma and emotional distress.”
