Abuja landowners drag IGP to court, demand N50m compensation

For forcefully seizing and illegally occupying their land, a group of landowners based in Abuja have filed a suit before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory against the Inspector General of Police.

The landowners in the fundamental right enforcement suit are also demanding N50 million compensation from the IGP for the unlawful action.

Plaintiffs in the suit, Yusuf Goya and Aminu Isah, who filed the action on behalf of the “Incorporated Trustees of Apo XK Extension Residents Association”, want the court to order the Nigeria Police Force to vacate their properties consisting of over 200 plots of land in the XK Apo Layout.

In a13-paragraphed affidavit they attached in support of the suit, the plaintiffs told the court that following a judgment of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal delivered on August 13, 2014, in suit No. CA/A/462/2011, they were declared as bonafide owners of the properties that were seized by Police.

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According to the plaintiffs, “From October 12, 2017, the applicants and other owners of the properties occupied and resided in peace until the 28th of October, 2017 when the Police invaded the property, ejected the applicants and forcefully occupied it on behalf of ENL Consortium Ltd adjudged as defaulters by the Court of Appeal.

“That in addition to the forceful eviction, the Nigeria Police locked the gates that serve as the entry points to the land to prevent the applicants and other house owners from returning to their homes”.
The plaintiffs, through their lawyer, Mr. Valentine Offia, maintained that action of the Police amounted to aiding the judgment debtors to contravene the express orders of the Court of Appeal.

Aside the IGP, other defendants in the suit are the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCDA), Federal Housing Authority (FHA) and ENL Consortium Limited.

However, in a swift reaction, the IGP, through his lawyer, Mr. David Igbodo, told the court that Police took possession of the property to prevent the break down of law and order. The matter has been fixed for hearing on February 5, 2018.

 

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