Court Evicts Ali Baba from Victoria Island Mansion, Declares AMCON Sale Illegal

In a landmark judgment, popular Nigerian comedian Atunyota Alleluya Akpobome, popularly known as Ali Baba, has been evicted from a luxury property in Victoria Island, Lagos, following a Federal High Court ruling that declared the sale of the property by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) illegal.

On Thursday, August 28, 2025, court bailiffs enforced a writ of possession at No. 324A Akin Ogunlewe Street, Victoria Island, under the directive of Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa. This followed a July 31 ruling from the court that reversed the sale of the estate originally owned by the late businessman and his company, Harold Expansion Industries Nigeria Limited.

The property—comprised of two duplexes overlooking the Atlantic Ocean—and home to Ali Baba’s production company, XQZMOI TV studios, was ordered to be returned to the family of the deceased original owner. The court dismissed AMCON’s claim that Harold Expansion owed ₦617 million to the defunct Bank PHB, now Keystone Bank, and ruled in favor of Harold Expansion’s counterclaim, awarding N500 million in damages against AMCON.

AMCON had sold the property to Ali Baba in 2021 for ₦220 million while the case was still pending in court. At that time, Ali Baba was reportedly a tenant of the property before AMCON forcefully evicted the late owner and his family, giving them less than five hours to vacate. The eviction event was cited as having been traumatic, contributing to the death of the property owner soon afterward.

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Justice Lewis-Allagoa found AMCON failed to present sufficient evidence, including the critical account statements needed to prove the debt. The judge noted AMCON’s failure to defend the counterclaim as fatal to its case, leading to the dismissal of the suit and restoration of the property to Harold Expansion Industries and the original owner’s family.

The twin duplex estate had served as the headquarters of XQZMOI TV until the eviction last week. Following the court ruling, Ali Baba promptly vacated the premises, removing all movable properties and studio equipment.

This ruling has highlighted concerns over AMCON’s conduct in property sales during debt recoveries, with calls for greater oversight and adherence to legal processes in handling asset management and liquidation.

The dispute brings to the fore the controversial practices surrounding AMCON, debt recovery, and property rights in Nigeria, raising crucial questions about tenants’ and property owners’ rights vis-à-vis government agencies.