"
Breaking News: Court Evicts Ali Baba from Victoria Island Mansion, Nullifies AMCON Sale, Orders ₦500m Damages
Popular Nigerian comedian, Atunyota Akpobome, widely known as Ali Baba, has been evicted from his Victoria Island mansion following a Federal High Court judgment that nullified the controversial sale of the property.
On August 15, 2025, court officials and bailiffs executed a writ of possession at 324A Akin Ogunlewe Street, Victoria Island, forcing Ali Baba and his company, XQZMOI TV, out of the residence.
The eviction stemmed from a July 31 ruling by Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa, who declared the 2021 sale of the mansion by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) to Ali Baba for ₦220 million invalid. The court held that AMCON failed to prove sufficient debt before the sale, ordering the property returned to Harold Expansion Industries, which represents the estate of the late original owner.
In addition, AMCON was directed to pay ₦500 million in damages.
The judgment has once again ignited debate over AMCON’s controversial handling of asset sales. Since its establishment in 2010 to recover non-performing loans, the corporation has faced multiple legal battles and public criticism over property seizures and auctions.
Legal experts note that the ruling against AMCON in Ali Baba’s case underscores the risks faced by buyers of contested assets and raises fresh concerns about transparency in Nigeria’s financial recovery system.