By Comrade Robinson Akhenoba
In what has become a defining legal battle over one of Edo State’s most strategic investments, the Edo State Government has once again drawn a clear line in the sand over the ownership of the Radisson Blu Hotel project in Benin City, declaring, without equivocation, that the property belongs to the people of Edo State.
The case, instituted under the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules, 2009, pursuant to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), pits Tilbury Nigeria Limited as applicant against the Edo State Government, the Honourable Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, the Secretary to the State Government, the Clerk of the Edo State House of Assembly, and the Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly.
Presiding over the matter is Hon. Justice E. O. Ahamioje of the Edo State High Court, Civil Court 4.
The question is, who truly owns the Radisson Blu Hotel under construction in Benin City? A project that symbolizes not just hospitality development, but public investment, accountability, and trust.
Following the court sitting on Monday January 19th, 2026, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Edo State, Prof. Roland Itoyah Otaru, SAN, PhD, who is lead counsel to the 1st–5th respondents, made the position of the Edo State Government unmistakably clear.
According to him, the applicant filed an application which the State promptly responded to with a counter affidavit, firmly asserting that the property under litigation belongs to the Edo State Government.
“The property and the subject matter under litigation belongs to the Edo State Government,” Prof. Roland stated. “Nobody, no agency, no corporation will be allowed to claim what rightfully belongs to the people of Edo State.”
The Radisson Hotel project, he recalled, was purchased by the Edo State Government in 2021. However, Tilbury Nigeria Limited is now alleging that it acquired 80% equity in the project, an assertion the State Government maintains is unknown, unsupported, and unrecognised by it.
Even more striking, the applicant is claiming that Edo State does not hold up to 20% equity in a project it fully purchased and has consistently financed.
The dispute also brings to the fore lingering public concerns over the project’s equity structure. There have been allegations of financial malfeasance and questions surrounding claims that about 25 billion was sourced from the stock market for the Radisson project, yet the State is allegedly left with just 20% equity, while a private entity is said to control 80%.
Despite this, the Edo State Government is reportedly servicing an Irrevocable Standing Payment Order (ISPO) of about 385 million monthly for the project, an obligation that underscores the State’s financial commitment and stake in the hotel.
To many observers, this contradiction alone strengthens the moral and legal argument of the State: that a government which shoulders the financial burden of a project cannot be pushed aside by opaque claims of ownership.
Addressing the legal technicalities, Prof. Roland explained that the rules of court are explicit. Once a respondent files a counterclaim, it becomes a distinct and separate action.
“The issue of whether it is a fundamental human rights application or not does not really matter,” he clarified.
“Once you have filed a counterclaim, it stands on its own. That is the language of the rules, and that is exactly what we have done.”
The Edo State Government’s counterclaim squarely asks the court to affirm what it insists is already clear: that the Radisson Blu Hotel project is the property of the Edo State Government.
With the applicant seeking time to respond, the court adjourned the matter to February 10, 2026, for hearing.
A Test of Governance and Public Trust
Beyond the legal arguments, this case has become a test of governance, transparency, and the protection of public assets.
For the Edo State Government and its legal team, led by Prof. Roland Itoyah Otaru, SAN, the matter is about defending the collective interest of Edo people and ensuring that strategic public investments are not quietly appropriated.
As the legal fireworks continue, many members of the public are watching with growing admiration for the firm, confident stance taken by the Edo State Government. There is widespread expectation that the court process will ultimately reaffirm the State’s full ownership of the Radisson Blu Hotel, Benin City, restoring clarity, confidence, and public trust.
Comrade Robinson Akhenoba, writer and publisher, The Political Evangelist
