CHIGOZIE AMADI
A High Court of Nasarawa State has issued an order restraining the Inspector-General of Police (IG) and the Director-General (DG) of the Directorate of State Service (DSS), from gaining access into a disputed property at 1, Mekong Close, Maitama District, Abuja.
Justice S. B. Bawa gave the order while delivering ruling in an exparte application brought by an estate firm, Abeh Signatures Ltd.
Besides the security personnel, the court also barred a staff of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, (NNPCL), Ms. Asabe Waziri, the Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the Commissioner of Police in charge of FCID, Aina Emmmanuel, from accessing the said property.
The plaintiff, Abeh Signatures, has been embroiled in a battle with Waziri over the purchase of two flats in the estate for over two years.
After listening to plaintiff’s lawyer, D. I. Oguamdinma, Justice Bawa held, “That leave is hereby granted to the applicant restraining the 2nd to 4th respondents either through their agents and officers to Stay Further Action To wit – Maintain Status Quo ante bellum in respect to subject matter of the suit in relation to the Applicant until the determination of Motion on Notice.
“That leave is hereby granted to the applicant restraining the 2nd to 5th Respondents jointly and severally from Further Inviting, Arresting and Detaining the Applicant’s Directors, staff and workers on the subject matter of this suit pending the determination of Motion on Notice.”
The court fixed the hearing of the case to 3rd July, 2024.
About two weeks ago, Senior Counsel to the property firm, Mr. Victor Giwa, had cried out over harassment and intimidation by the police against him and other staff of the property company.
Giwa, who was detained for five hours debunked news making the round that he was detained for disobedience to court order and judgement of the Court of Appeal in the case involving Asabe Wazirri and Abeh Signature Limited in appeal No: CA/ABJ/CV/246/2022 regarding a property in Maitama.
The lawyer, after his release from the Force Criminal Investigation Department, FCID Area 10 Abuja, said the reason for his detention by FCID Commissioner of Police, Mr. Aina Emmanuel, the special Enquiry Bureau (SIB) was because he was irritated by the letter from Giwa’s chamber.
Giwa had visited the senior police officers who had earlier sent some police officers into his client’s premises to arrest one of the staff of Abeh Signature Apartments.
It could be recalled that Asabe Waziri, a staff of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has been in serious brawl with Abeh Signature Apartments, a property company that declined selling its flat to Asabe, for making payment of over $40, 000 in cash.
According to him, Asabe has been using some officers of the Nigeria Police Force to forcefully gain entrance and occupy the flats even against a direct and positive order of the FCT High Court restraining her from trespassing and entering into the premises.
He said the property owners have exercised their right to decline offer for purchase because of her alleged misconduct.
Earlier in 2022, an FCT High Court Abuja had in a final judgement held that Asabe Waziri’s contract with the property company was validly terminated and ordered that all money paid, should be immediately refunded.
Abeh Signature Apartments in obedience to the court order issued a refund to Asabe, but Asabe had rejected the refund.
The property has been in dispute since then as a result of Asabe’s insistence in claiming ownership of the flats and using security operatives to forcefully take possession.
