The family of the late media mogul, High Chief Raymond Anthony Aleogho Dokpesi, has placed his estate under probate, declaring that no property or corporate asset belonging to him can be sold, transferred, pledged, or used as collateral until the process is lawfully concluded.
In a formal public notice described as a “Caveat,” the family cautioned against fraudulent transactions involving Dokpesi’s assets, stressing that several reports had emerged of individuals falsely claiming authority to dispose of them.
The estate includes holdings in DAAR Investment & Holding Company Ltd., DAAR Communications PLC, owners of Africa Independent Television (AIT) and RayPower, alongside other private and corporate properties. The freeze on transactions, the family said, has been in effect since 29 May 2023, the date of Dokpesi’s death.
“Any person, institution, or organisation that has attempted, or may attempt, to purchase, acquire, transfer or otherwise deal with any of these assets after 29 May 2023 does so entirely at their own risk and without recourse to the estate or the family,” the notice read.
The warning follows media reports and internal complaints alleging that some DAAR Communications properties, including local stations and buildings, have been sold or shut down amid governance disputes. Staff and insiders have expressed concern about the fate of certain assets, including the company’s Asokoro outlet.
Family representatives said they had sought extensive legal advice and would challenge any unauthorised disposal of assets in court. The caveat, they explained, was issued to protect shareholder value and prevent fraudulent attempts to divest estate holdings before probate is settled.
Dokpesi, who pioneered private broadcasting in Nigeria and founded DAAR Communications, died on 29 May 2023 at the age of 71. He built AIT and RayPower into two of the country’s most influential media platforms, with his death widely reported last year.
Legal experts note that such a public caveat is a standard probate mechanism, designed to warn potential buyers that estate assets remain under court supervision. Any transaction made during probate, they added, risks being voided and leaving purchasers exposed to litigation.
Closing the notice, the Dokpesi family urged Nigerians and the international community to disregard fraudulent offers and verify all claims of authority through the probate court or their legal representatives. They warned that all unauthorised dealings with the estate “will be vigorously contested.”
