Lagos State Judicial Panel on Restitution for Victims of SARS, Related Abuses and other Matters has invited Mohammed Adamu, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) over the case of a petitioner whose farmland was allegedly seized by the police.
The petitioner, Adewale Adewuyi, who appeared in a wheelchair, spoke through his lawyer, Debo Adeleke.
According to the lawyer, the farm was seized in 2013 and has since been unavailable to the farm owner.
Debo Adeleke alleged that the police have refused to release 26 acres of farmland seized from the petitioner over seven years.
The counsel told the panel that the police invaded the farmland located at Age-Mowo near Badagry on December 17,2013 and destroyed it.
He said the destruction of his client’s farm made his health deteriorate to the extent that he could not move or feed himself.
Adeleke stated that a federal court judgment in 2017 ordered the police to release the farmland and to negotiate with his client the amount to pay for damages and physical assault.
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He however revealed that the police refused to release the farmland or engage in alternative dispute resolution, despite efforts to compel them to do so.
Adeleke asked the panel to use its credibility to summon the IGP, the commissioner of police in charge of the legal department, force headquarters, assistant inspector-general of police, co-operative police college, Ikeja, and other parties mentioned in the petition to compel them to release the farmland.
The lawyer stressed;
That order is needed, although I’m not supposed to say this but this is a fact-finding panel, we need to summon the IGP, so that he can tell the commissioner of police to release this land to us. They are not using the law, it is just there. Everybody fears the Lagos state judicial panel on restitution. We will be grateful, if my lord will issue the order.
However, Cyril Ejiofor, police counsel, asked that he should be given two weeks to meet with the legal department so that the issue will be resolved.
Giving a verdict, the panel summoned the IGP following Adeleke’s request that the police be compelled to release his client’s property.
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Lagos Judicial Panel continues sitting despite the protest from the youth representatives, Rinu Oduala, on the decision to hand over the Lekki Toll gate Plaza to Lekki Concession Company.
Doris Okuwobi, chairperson of the panel, ordered that the parties mentioned in the petition should be served summons.
The case was adjourned till March 30.
