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The traditional ruler of Orile Odo Onosa, Agbowa, Lagos State, has dragged the Nigeria Police to court, praying it to stop the respondents from further harassing and intimidating him. In a motion filed at the Federal High Court, Abeokuta, Ogun State, the ruler, Chief Jimoh Balogun, wants the court to declare that he is entitled to enjoy his fundamental human rights as provided in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He also wants among other things, a declaration stopping the police from investigating his family land, set aside the invitation letters sent to him and the purported warrant of arrest obtained by the police.
His counsel said this became necessary in the light of the police refusal to obey a Lagos State High Court ruling of June 9, 2015, in an enforcement of fundamental human rights, filed on behalf of the applicant, on the ground that the order did not emanate from the Federal High Court.
She stated that the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Central Snvestigation section (Force CID Annex) Alagbon, Abutu Yaro, refused to honour the document, saying it did not emanate from the Federal High Court. This made the applicant’s counsel to file a FORM 48 on May 15, 2017, at the Lagos State High Court, Ikorodu.
She said because of this, the DCP was said to be 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 Yaro received a gratification of four acres of land from his opponents and placed a bill board which reads: “This land belongs 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. She said one of the purported assignors, Chief Adewale Oduntan, who died on April 26, 2016, signed the document on July 9, 2017, over 14 months after his death, while Yaro appended his signature on July 14, 2017.
He was said to have bought the four acres of land for N1,600,000, a far cry from the actual value of the land. The deed was purportedly prepared by one Najeem Adebagbo:
“There are 13 signors (including the dead man) and it is purportedly witnessed by Oba Aderibigbe Asunmo of Odo Ayandelu, Ikosi Ejirin LCDA. 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.”
Although neither the respondents nor their counsel were present in court, Justice Muhammed Adamu Turaki adjourned the case to October 18, 2017 to allow the defendants to be properly served.
