Lagos State High Court in Ikeja will, on February 28, hear a fundamental rights suit by an engineer, Samuel Oladele, against the police.
He is seeking justice over threat to his life by suspected land grabbers.
Oladele said there was a persistent threat to his life based on alleged frivolous petition from the suspects, who encroached on his land.
Oladele, in the suit: ID/14897/MFHR/2023, through his lawyer, Adetayo Bello, is praying the court to stop his harassment and intimidation.
Inspector general of Police, and Commissioner of Police (General Investigation Section ‘D’ Department), Sheik M. Danko, are respondents.
Others are (Officer In Charge) Team “C” of General Investigation Section D ‘Department, (Force CIID) Annex, Alagbon Close, Ikoyi, Lagos.
Oladele asked the court to save him from alleged land grabbers bent on taking his life so they can take over land lawfully acquired by him.
The plaintiff is praying the court to declare his continual invitation, harassment and intimidation by the police, particularly the third respondent at instance of the fourth and fifth respondents unlawful, illegal or unconstitutional.
Oladele is praying the court to hold that the crux of the dispute between him and the fourth and fifth respondents is a land matter which is civil in nature and does not fall within the purview of cases and matters Police can adjudicate.
He seeks an order that he is entitled to his dignity and freedom, and coercion to transfer his title of the land on Samuel Oladele Ahmed layout, Sixth Avenue Extension , off Lagos/Badagry Express Road, Amuwo Odofin to the fourth and fifth respondents is illegal and unlawful.
Oladele asked for an order of perpetual injunciton restricting the first, second and third respondents “either by themsélves or through their officers, agents, privies, or however called from further inviting, harassing, intimidating ‘and coercing the applicant to transfer his title …without just cause.”
The police had charged the engineer following a petition by Sule Suraju (Aro of Abuleado) and Taye Hassan (Alias Taye Burger), but the case was later struck out for lack of diligent prosecution.
The police went to the site and arrested Oladele’s worker and seized his vehicle in a bid to get him arrested again.