Court orders joint administration of ex-Cross River SSG’s estate over disputed property sale

The Probate Court in Calabar has mandated the joint administration of late former Secretary to the Cross River State Government, Chief Wilfred Oden Inah's estate, due to a conflict over the alleged sale of a family property. This decision came about in Suit No. LA/600/2021, after the deceased's children contested the sale of a property at No. 63, Ibom Layout, Big Qua Town, Calabar.

The property was said to consist of four flats and a large plot of land, believed to have been sold to Emmanuel Emele Utum for over N100 million. However, family members claimed the property's value ranged from N300 million to N400 million, alleging that their late father intended each child to receive a flat, with Maurice taking the surrounding land.

The court ordered the application for Letters of Administration to be amended to reflect the four children representing different maternal lines of the deceased. The four claimants are Mrs Kosi Oden Inah, Mr Maurice Oden Inah, Mr Ofem Oden Inah, and Mrs Mildred Manama Ikheloa. This order followed a Notice of Caveat filed by Bima Oden Inah, seeking to prevent the issuance of Letters of Administration without notifying her and her siblings.

Maurice Inah, one of the children, stated the disputed sale violated his father's wishes to keep the property within the family, while his sister, Mildred Ikheloa, demanded the return of the property and repayment of the alleged buyer's money. EFCC was reportedly involved in the matter, with Maurice detained and ultimately failing to respond to further requests, reportedly due to ill health.

Maurice also faced accusations of collecting rents from other estate properties without family meetings, though these allegations have not been substantiated. The deceased's widow, Chief Mrs Kosi Inah, claimed ignorance of the contested sale or any proceeds received, asserting she couldn't have sanctioned the sale against her husband's wishes.

However, Utum, the alleged buyer, stated he followed proper procedures and due diligence, including communicating with the deceased's widow before the purchase. He was ready to relinquish the property if his money was returned, maintaining the transaction was not an all-or-nothing matter. The court's ruling aims to ensure wider representation in the estate administration and minimize the likelihood of future disputes among the children.