Traditional ruler drags police to court over harassment, intimidation

The traditional ruler of Orile Odo Onosa, a Community near Agbowa, Lagos State, has dragged the Nigeria Police Force to court, praying it to stop the respondent from further harassing and intimidating him.

In a simultaneous motion filed at both the Federal High Court Abeokuta (suit No FHC/AB/67/2017) and the High Court, Ikorodu, the traditional ruler, Chief Jimoh Balogun, through his counsels, Goodness O. Onyimah and Yemi Omodele, wants the court to declare that the Applicant is entitled to enjoy his Fundamental Human Rights as provided in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The Applicant also wants, among other things, a declaration stopping the respondents from investigating his family land, set aside the invitation letters sent to him and the purported warrant of arrest obtained by the police.

The ground on which the reliefs are sought states that these become necessary in the light of police refusal to obey a court ruling dated 9th June, 2015 in an Enforcement of Fundamental Human Rights, filed on behalf of the applicant.

It states further that the Deputy Commissioner of Police, General investigation section (Force CID Annex) Alagbon, DCP Abutu Yaro refused to honour the document as he rejected it, saying that it did not emanate from a Federal High Court. This made the applicant’s counsels to file a FORM 48 on 15th May, 2017 vide suit No IKD/M/70/2014.

It states further that because of this, the DCP is said to have been doing everything possible to get the applicant arrested at all cost.

In an affidavit in support of the motion as well as an attached exhibit, the applicant declared that DCP Abutu Yaro received a gratification of four acres of land from his opponents and placed a bill board which reads “This land belong to Police Commissioner” to replace the family bill board on the land.

A Deed of Assignment was prepared converting the said four acres of land signed by a section of the family as the assignors on one hand, and one Abutu Yaro as the assignee on the other. It goes on further to say that one of the purported assignors, Chief Adewale Oduntan who died on the 26th of April 2016 signed the document on the 9th of July, 2017, over 14 months after his death, while Abutu Yaro appended his signature on 14th July 2017. He was said to have bought the four acres of land for N1,600,000 (One Million Six Hundred Thousand Naira only), a far cry from the actual value of the land.

The Deed of Assignment was purportedly prepared by one Najeem T. Adebagbo Esq. of N.T. Adebagbo Associate Legal Practitioner and Property Consultant. There are 13 signors (including the dead man) and it is purportedly witnessed by HRH Oba G.B Aderibigbe Asunmo of Odo Ayandelu of Ikosi Ejirin LCDA, Lagos State, and the assignee is one Abutu Yaro of plot 308, off 39 Road, Off 35 Road Gwarinpa, Future, FCT, Abuja, Nigeria, while his witness is one Kayode Olawunmi of 5, Oladire Street, Haruna Bus/Stop, Ogba, Ifako, Lagos State. The signed, sealed and delivered document carries the Governor’s consent.

Chief Balogun believes that this land was given to the DCP as gratification by his opponents to pervert justice, thus the unwarranted witch-hunting, harassment and intimidation.