Nigeria’s king of comedy, Atunyota Akpobome, popularly known as Ali Baba, has been evicted from his Victoria Island property in Lagos, following a court ruling that nullified his ownership. The eviction, carried out on August 15, 2025, came after a writ of possession issued by the Federal High Court, ending a four-year legal tussle over the property’s ownership.
The disputed property was initially sold to Ali Baba for ₦220 million in 2021 by the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON). The sale was part of AMCON’s asset recovery drive against Harold Expansion Industries Nigeria Limited, which the corporation claimed had defaulted on loans. However, the courts later determined that the sale was irregular.
Delivering judgment on July 31, 2025, Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa dismissed AMCON’s claims, ruling that the agency failed to provide evidence of the alleged debt that prompted the takeover. The court not only ordered the property to be returned to its original owner but also slammed AMCON with ₦500 million in damages for wrongful seizure.
Ali Baba’s liability stemmed from the timing of his purchase. Before he acquired the building, the original owners had already secured a preservation order preventing AMCON from disposing of the property pending the conclusion of court proceedings. Legal experts note that buying under those circumstances exposed the comedian to the risk of forfeiture.
According to court records, Ali Baba was initially a tenant of the property’s original owner before AMCON forcefully evicted them in 2021 and sold it to him. The court has now ruled that the sale was illegal, effectively restoring the ownership rights of the dispossessed landlord.
The eviction notice also affected Ali Baba’s media venture, XQZMOI TV, which had been operating from the premises. Court bailiffs, backed by security operatives, executed the order, sealing off the property and handing possession back to the previous owner’s representatives.
The ruling has sparked renewed debate about AMCON’s asset recovery practices, with critics arguing that the agency has frequently been accused of overreach and poor due diligence in its seizures. For Ali Baba, the judgment is a bitter legal setback, one that highlights the dangers of purchasing properties entangled in unresolved litigation.
