The Case That Inspired AWJAI: Asabe Waziri v Abeh Signature Ltd
The Beginning
In February 2021, Ms Asabe Waziri purchased a residential property in Abuja from Abeh Signature Ltd, a company associated with property developer Mr Cecil Osakwe. What began as a property transaction would develop into a prolonged dispute involving civil litigation, criminal complaints and serious concerns about the administration of justice.
In September 2021, after Ms Waziri had made repeated requests for a receipt and other documentation relating to the transaction, Mr Osakwe submitted a complaint against her to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), alleging money laundering. The EFCC investigated the allegation but did not establish wrongdoing against Ms Waziri.
While that investigation was ongoing, Mr Osakwe commenced civil proceedings seeking to set aside the property transaction and recover possession of the property.
On 17 February, 2022, barely five months after the suit was filed, the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, presided over by Hon. Justice Othman Musa, delivered judgment in Osakwe’s favour. The court ordered that Ms Waziri’s payment be refunded and that she surrender possession of the property. Ms Waziri appealed against the judgment.
Escalation and Unlawful Eviction
While the appeal was pending, Ms Waziri reported incidents of continued intimidation, harassment and interference with essential services at her residence to the police. These events subsequently became the subject of separate criminal proceedings against Cecil Osakwe.
The dispute escalated further when Cecil Osakwe enlisted a lawyer, Victor Giwa. Although Giwa was not counsel on record in the civil proceedings, he subsequently became actively involved in the dispute.
Together, Cecil Osakwe and Victor Giwa launched a coordinated campaign of defamation and online harassment. They spread false narratives across media platforms to damage Ms Waziri’s reputation.
On 19 February 2022, two days after the High Court judgment, Mr Giwa deployed a new set of thugs and supervised the disconnection of water and electricity services to Ms Waziri’s residence. He carried out these acts with the help of armed thugs and an electrician identified as Mr Friday.
On 18 March, 2022, events took a dramatic turn when Cecil Osakwe and Victor Giwa resorted to self-help. They led armed thugs to Ms Waziri’s home and forcibly removed all her belongings, without awaiting the determination of her appeal. Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) records show that Victor Giwa was appointed a director and shareholder of Abeh Signature Property Management Ltd, a company owned by Cecil Osakwe on 28 March, 20222.
An Emerging Pattern of Conduct
As events unfolded, a clear pattern of intimidation and abuse emerged.
Cecil Osakwe funded and directed operations from behind the scenes, while, Giwa used his professional position, and access to media platforms to shape misleading narratives accounts of the dispute. These actions formed a coordinated effort to intimidate her, damage her reputation and discourage her from continuing to assert her rights.
Ms Waziri also filed complaints with the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) concerning the conduct of Mr Giwa and Mr Osakwe, both of whom are lawyers. Following its preliminary consideration, the LPDC found that the complaints disclosed four prima facie cases against Mr Giwa and one prima facie case against Mr Osakwe. The Committee directed both respondents to file their respective defences.
Rather than abandon her claim or respond outside the law, Ms Waziri pursued the available legal remedies. She appealed the High Court judgment, continued reporting the alleged misconduct to the appropriate authorities and sought enforcement of her rights through the courts.
The Court of Appeal’s Interim Order
On 4 April, 2022, the Court of Appeal ordered that “status quo ante bellum” (the position that existed before the dispute) be maintained pending the determination of Ms Waziri’s appeal.
However, Cecil Osakwe and Victor Giwa did not comply with this order.
On 10 May 2022, Court bailiffs of the FCT High Court Enforcement Department attempted to enforce the order. During this lawful process, Cecil Osakwe and Victor Giwa deployed armed thugs who disrupted the enforcement, assaulted and chased away the court officials from the premises. These events raised serious concerns about interference with the enforcement of a subsisting court order and respect for judicial authority.
Enforcement and Restoration
On March 1, 2024, the FCT High Court Enforcement Department finally enforced the Court of Appeal’s order and restored Ms Waziri to her home.
However, the intimidation and harassment did not stop.
On March 19, 2024, essential services to Ms Waziri’s residence were disconnected again. This happened despite ongoing criminal proceedings against Cecil Osakwe and Victor Giwa already filed at the FCT High Court.
Criminal Proceedings
Following investigations into the reported eviction and related incidents, the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice filed a nine-count criminal charge in 2023 against Mr Osakwe, Mr Giwa and a police officer. The charges included allegations of illegal trespass, theft, malicious damage, mischief, tampering with electricity supply and other offences.
On June 27, 2024, officers of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) intervened. They removed Victor Giwa and the armed thugs he had deployed from the residence and restored order.
The Court of Appeal Judgment
On May 21, 2024, the Court of Appeal delivered a unanimous judgment allowing Ms Waziri’s appeal.
A three-member panel led by Justice Hamma Akawu Barka (Presiding), with Justices Abba Bello Mohammed and Okon Efreti Abang, overturned the lower court decision in its entirety and awarded costs of ₦500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) to Ms Waziri.
The Court held that the judgment of the lower court was not supported by credible evidence and amounted to a miscarriage of justice.
Justice Barka, in his judgment declared:
“It is clear that the respondent, having benefitted more from the transaction, seeks to vitiate the contract possibly to further benefit from it. I agree with the appellant’s counsel that the appeal is destined for success and should be allowed. Hence, having resolved all issues in favor of the appellant, this appeal succeeds and is hereby allowed. The judgment of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja in suit No: CV/2435/2021, delivered on February 17, 2022, is hereby set aside, and all actions taken consequent to the said judgment also stand vacated. The appellant is entitled to costs assessed at N500,000 (five hundred thousand Naira only). Appeal allowed.”
This judgment marked a decisive turning point. It confirmed that the actions of Cecil Osakwe and Victor Giwa could not stand under the law.
Read the full judgment of the Court of Appeal in the case of Asabe Waziri V Abeh Signature Ltd.
Why the Case Matters
The case illustrates the severe personal and legal consequences that can arise from disputed property transactions, eviction and the use of parallel civil and criminal processes. It also demonstrates the importance of access to legal representation, respect for court orders and effective mechanisms for holding institutions and individuals accountable.
Above all, it shows that persistence, lawful resistance and confidence in the justice system can ultimately prevail.
From Personal Experience to Public Mission
This experience contributed to the establishment of the Asabe Waziri Justice Advocacy Initiative (AWJAI).
AWJAI was founded on the principle that people confronting injustice should not have to navigate the justice system alone. The organisation now provides legal support, documents rights violations, monitors justice processes and advocates for institutional accountability and reform.
Illegal eviction, abuse of power and intimidation remain painful realities for many in Nigeria. AWJAI works to ensure that individuals facing these challenges are not left without support.
What began as one individual’s pursuit of justice has developed into a broader commitment to protecting rights and expanding access to justice for others.