Despite the order of a Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court, policemen have stormed a property located at No. 3, Lokoja Street, Area 8, Abuja, harassing and intimidating occupants of the building.
The policemen said they were acting on the order of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 7, seeking the arrest of one Daramola Olutoye, the property agent.
As at the time of filing this report, residents of the building are living in fear as, according to them, since the operation led by one Assistant Superintendent of Police, security agents have been stationed around the property.
They noted that a court order had restrained the Police from arresting the property agent, Daramola Olutoye.
Olutoye had in a suit marked: FCT/HC/M/532/2024, accused the Police of intimidation and harassment, despite a subsisting court order.
He listed the Assistant Inspector General Of Police, Zone 7, Abuja, CSP Danjuma Ibrahim, ASP Noah Abah (Investigating Police Officer) HRH. Ezeogo Elder Agom Eze and Samuel Ogbu Eze as 1st to 5th defendants in the matter.
In the affidavit in support of the exparte motion for the enforcement of his fundamental human rights dated November 4, 2024, Olutoye narrated how the Police has harassed, intimidated and even extorted N100, 000 from him.
He said the Police went to the extent of tracking him to Etiki State, calling his children and his family members on the phone.
According to Olutoye’s counsel, Mr Pius Attah, there are fears that he may have been arrested because he has remain incommunicado for some days.
Attah said, “It’s like the man has now been abducted by the police because nobody can reach him again.
“He approached the court to seek protection. After the motion was heard, the court ordered the Police to stay action until the main suit is heard and determined by the court.”
Justice Kayode Agunloye of the FCT High Court sitting in Kwali, Abuja, had on November 25, 2024, stated, “After listening to Mr. Puis Attah, counsel to the applicant in Motion No. M/532/2024, I came to the only reasonable and legal conclusion that the application is overwhelmingly meritorious.
“It is hereby order as follows: An order of interim injunction restraining the respondents, their agents, privies, representatives or any other person deriving his authority from them, from taking any further action(s) towards arresting, detaining, evicting, harassing or any way howsoever described in tempering with the liberty of the applicant pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.”