Veteran Nigerian comedian Atunyota Alleluya Akpobome, popularly known as Ali Baba, has been evicted from his Victoria Island property in Lagos following a court ruling that overturned its sale.
The Federal High Court in Lagos, in a judgment delivered on July 31, 2025, ordered that the property be restored to its original owner. The ruling came after the court dismissed the case brought by the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), which had earlier sold the property to Ali Baba for ₦220 million in 2021.
AMCON had claimed it acquired and resold the property to recover debts allegedly owed by Harold Expansion Industries Nigeria Limited. However, Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa ruled that the corporation failed to substantiate its claims with credible evidence.
In addition to nullifying the sale, the court imposed ₦500 million in damages against AMCON for the wrongful takeover.
Ali Baba’s company, XQZMOI TV, was also affected by the eviction. Reports indicate that the comedian’s involvement in the legal tussle stemmed from the timing of his purchase. Despite an existing preservation order, he bought the property while the case was still being contested in court.
Before the controversial sale, Ali Baba was a tenant of the original owner. His subsequent purchase from AMCON placed him at the center of the prolonged legal dispute that has now culminated in his eviction.
The ruling underscores ongoing controversies surrounding AMCON’s asset recovery operations and raises fresh concerns over due diligence in high-value property transactions in Nigeria.
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