IGP stops alleged forum shopping by Lekki Estate resident

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Tunji Disu, has reportedly warned officers of the Force Intelligence Department (FID) and other police formations against encouraging forum shopping by the complainants,

The police chief also reportedly warned law enforcement officials and men against meddling in matters deemed to be civil in nature but disguised as criminals to invoke police powers.

A senior police source told our correspondent that the IGP’s directive followed an alleged attempt by a resident of a Lekki estate, who is said to be in debt to his estate management for electricity and service charges, to secure the arrest, detention and prosecution of the leadership of the GThomes Estate Residents’ Association, Lekki, in a bid to reconnect with estate services.

It was learned that the complainant had initially reported the matter to the Ilasan Divisional Police Station, Lekki, where she was advised to pay her debts to the property or pursue civil remedies over her alleged disconnection from the property’s power supply after reportedly failing to pay electricity bills and service charges amounting to over N5 million accrued in more than a year.

According to information available to our correspondent, the complainant subsequently escalated the matter to the Area J Command in Ibeju-Lekki without success before taking the complaint to the Zone 2 Police Command Headquarters in Onikan, Lagos.

The matter was also reportedly referred to the Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) Annex, Alagbon, Lagos. However, the police authorities of the various formations reportedly refused to intervene, arguing that the dispute was essentially of a civil and not criminal nature.

The complainant subsequently took the matter to the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

Meanwhile, on Monday, September 7, the leadership of the estate administration reportedly obtained an order from the Federal High Court, Lagos Division, directing the police to maintain the status quo pending the disposition of a suit challenging an invitation issued by the FID in Abuja.

The invitation required members of the estate leadership to report to Abuja for interrogation.

The company’s executive committee lawyer, Olayinka Olajuwon, has argued in a Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure (FREP) case before Justice Friday Ogazi, that requiring his clients to travel to Abuja in relation to a dispute that is fundamentally civil in nature would amount to a breach of their constitutional rights and impose undue hardship.

According to the lawyer, the company, the complainant and all members of the company’s leadership reside in Lagos, which makes the invitation to Abuja unreasonable under the circumstances.

Olajuwon further argued that the FID’s involvement in a matter that had previously been investigated by the Lagos annex of the FCID was suspicious and suggested an attempt at forum shopping by influential individuals seeking to use law enforcement to intimidate, harass or pressure its clients.

“This is a clear case of abuse of police time and resources,” the lawyer said.

The defendants are expected to appear before Justice Ogazi later this month to show cause why the reliefs sought by the claimants should not be granted.