There are currently unclaimed estates worth millions of euros in the United Kingdom that were left behind by about 45 deceased Nigerians as of March 26, 2021.
According to an unclaimed estate list published by the United Kingdom Government, some of the deceased Nigerians died as far back as 1990s.
It was observed that some of the listed properties were abandoned just last year when their owners passed on.
The property, money, personal belongings and other assets owned by these 48 deceased individuals are being held unattended to instead of being passed on to their loved ones or friends.
The estates owned by deceased Nigerians only represents less than one per cent of the total number of unclaimed estates in the UK, which run into billions of Euros.
Checks showed that three Nigerians – Sunday Owolabi, Festus Ebun Akinjaiyeju and Akinwolere Akintomide – died last year and left property that had not been claimed by any of their relatives.
The records showed that Owolabi was aged 83 years when he passed and that he died at Tower Hamlet in London.
Also, Akinjaiyeju died at Camden London NW1 at age 72 while Akintomide was 53 years at the time of death and passed on at Felthm Middlesex.
Also, one Peter Benson, who died in 2019 at the age 48 in Stratford London E15 was listed by the UK government as having unclaimed assets.
The inability of relatives and friends of the deceased Nigerians to lay claims to the estates, according to experts, is due to the absence of a Will or entitled blood relatives.
The Head of Chambers at Gbola Adeosun and Co, Barrister Pius Ogbokhoyani, said with a letter of administration, the deceased person’s next of kin will be able to gain access to the property, funds or shares the deceased left behind and manage them.
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He said, “If it is a real estate property, it will be valued and 10 per cent of its market value will be paid as tax to the government. Thereafter, a letter of administration will be issued to the next of kin.”
“When the members of the family are not aware of the existence of such property, they will not be able to claim them. It depends on available information on their next of kin. If they are aware, the next steps will be to collect the necessary forms or make the necessary declaration to get access to the property and when the identity and relations to the deceased is confirmed, it will be transferred to them.”
What Happens To Unclaimed Estates?
According to a UK based solicitor, Co-operative Legal Services Limited, when an estate is unclaimed, it means that it technically not owned by anyone and is transferred to the Crown.
Such estate includes any property, money, personal possessions and anything else that the person owned when they died.
The solicitor stated that an unclaimed estate will remain on the list for 30 years after the date of death, after which it will be removed and it will no longer be possible for anyone to make a claim against it.
It said, “While the Estate is listed, it’s possible to make a claim against it. If someone believes they are entitled to make a claim on an unclaimed Estate in England or Wales then they can do so by contacting the relevant Government legal department – the Bona Vacantia division (BVD).
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“Only blood relatives of the deceased are eligible to make a claim, in line with inheritance laws called the Rules of Intestacy. For example, step children are not recognised as entitled relatives and neither are partners if they were not married or in a civil partnership, regardless of the length of the relationship.”
How To Claim The Assets
The legal department of the UK government often requests for documentary evidence that proves your entitlement.
These documents include:
- Full birth certificates (showing the parents’ names) and marriage certificates of each person between you and the deceased
- Identification documents which provide proof of your name and of your name linked to your address
- Full explanation, supported by evidence, of any discrepancies in the documents supplied with your claim or about any missing documents
- If you are a third party who represents a claimant you will also need to provide written confirmation that you have been instructed by the claimant to make a claim.
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Wealthy Nigerians’ History Of Amassing London Property
Nigerians have been long standing property investors in the central London market, since the early 1980s.
Super rich Africans are known as big investors in the UK’s property industry, spending as much as £250million on acquiring London homes in the last three years, according to a report by Beauchamp Estates.
Aliko Dangote, a Nigerian business magnate and the richest man in Africa, was identified as one of the investors in London’s most expensive homes.
According to the report, Folorunsho Alakija, a billionaire oil tycoon, fashion designer and philanthropist from Lagos, is also a big investor in the London property market and bought four apartments in One Hyde Park, the super-exclusive development in Knightsbridge.
Her British-born nephew Rotimi Alakija, who also goes by the stage name of DJ Xclusive, has also invested property in the capital.
However, in the 1980s and 1990s the report stated that Nigerians typically purchased houses in North London, in Hampstead, St Johns Wood and Primrose Hill. However, more wealth has enabled them to move into the ultra prime market in Mayfair, Belgravia and Knightsbridge, and have been joined by affluent purchasers from other West African and French equatorial states.
