Alleged defamation: Property developer drags family, police officer to Lagos High Court over $500 million claim

A Lagos-based property developer, Alhaji Samsideen Akanni Sule, has filed a suit before the Ikeja Judicial Division of the Lagos State High Court, accusing two members of the Abolarinwa family and a senior police officer of alleged defamation, harassment and malicious publication.

In the suit filed before the High Court sitting in Ikeja by his lawyer, Dele Babalola, Sule, who trades under the name and style of SAS Estate Developer, challenges what he described as “false, malicious and malicious allegations” contained in the petitions allegedly drafted and circulated by the defendants.

The accused in the matter are Alhaja Sherifat Tejumola Abolarinwa, Mr Habeeb Tejumola Abolarinwa and CSP Taofeek Tijani of the Zone II Police Command, Onikan, Lagos.

According to the original court proceedings, the appellant alleged that the defendants, acting in connivance, wrote and circulated a petition dated March 19, 2024, accusing him of involvement in the alleged theft of two jewelery boxes containing 950 grams of 24 carat gold said to belong to the late Alhaji Tejumola Abolarinwa.

Sule argued that the allegations in the petition were entirely false, defamatory and aimed at tarnishing his reputation as a respected businessman and property developer.

The appellant further told the court that he was legally instructed by the defendants and their family members to assist in the recovery of about 12 plots of land allegedly taken by hoodlums and land grabbers around Idimu and Abule-Odu axis of Lagos.

He stated that, based on a power of attorney executed in his favor, he mobilized legal and financial resources, hired lawyers and pursued numerous petitions to security agencies, actions that allegedly led to a favorable court ruling that returned nine plots of land to the family.

The appellant alleged that as consideration for his services, he was entitled to two plots of land, while separately he purchased a further plot from the defendants for the sum of N2 million.

However, Sule alleged that despite the successful execution of the task, the defendants later turned against him and started sponsoring petitions to different police formations and agencies, including the Idimu Police Station, Area ‘M’ Command, Lagos State Police Command, Zone II Police Command, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Lagos State Anti-Land Grabbing Bureau.

He further accused the defendants of using the petitions to subject him to intimidation, humiliation and repeated invitations by the police, including a trip to Abuja in relation to allegations that he forged signatures on the power of attorney.

According to the applicant, the investigations finally confirmed the authenticity of the power of attorney, but the defendants continued to make defamatory statements against him.

Among the measures sought before the court is a declaration that the allegations made against him by the defendants are false, malicious and defamatory.

He is also seeking damages estimated at 500 million naira for the alleged damage to his reputation, emotional trauma and business losses caused by the publications.

The appellant is also asking the court for an order restraining the defendants from publishing or disseminating further defamatory statements against him.

Sule alleged in court papers that the defamatory publications and broadcasts extended to radio programmes, including one that aired on “Agidigbo FM” in Ibadan.

He told the court that the publications portrayed him as a fraudulent businessman, a land grabber and a dishonest individual, thus causing serious damage to his reputation, business position and personal integrity.

The appellant claimed that the publications had exposed him to ridicule from his associates, clients, family and members of the public, adding that he had suffered embarrassment and emotional distress as a result.

As of the filing date of this report, the hearing on the merits has not been set.