Popular Nigerian comedian Ali Baba has been evicted from his luxurious Victoria Island property following a Federal High Court order nullifying the controversial sale of the mansion. The court officials and bailiffs enforced a writ of possession on August 15, 2025, at 324A Akin Ogunlewe Street, Victoria Island, removing Ali Baba and his company, XQZMOI TV, from the property.

*The Court’s Ruling*

Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa delivered the judgment on July 31, 2025, ruling that the 2021 sale of the house by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) to Ali Baba for ₦220 million was invalid. The court found that AMCON failed to establish adequate evidence to support its claims of a ₦617 million debt owed by Harold Expansion Industries Nigeria Limited, the original owner of the property.¹ ²

*Return of Property and Damages*

The court’s decision ordered the return of the property to the original owner’s family and Harold Expansion Industries Nigeria Limited. Additionally, AMCON was directed to pay ₦500 million in damages to the family. The property, comprising two large duplexes with views of the Atlantic Ocean, was occupied by Ali Baba’s company, XQZMOI TV, serving as its studios.

Background of the Dispute

The dispute arose from claims that Harold Expansion Industries owed a loan to the now-defunct Bank PHB (now Keystone Bank), which AMCON acquired. AMCON asserted that the company’s debt had grown to ₦617 million. However, Harold Expansion Industries denied any such indebtedness, and the court ultimately ruled in their favor.