…..worshippers create scene at Police HQ
There was a mild drama today at the site of a Federal Housing Estate project opposite Ondo state police Headquarters, Igbatoro road, Akure when a group of traditional worshippers came in to perform annual ritual at the estate which is under construction.
The worshippers numbering 21 women and men who were led by Chief Abisoye Asoga Adigun of Akureland, stormed the estate as early as 9:00am on Monday with black fowl, white pigeon and other objects to perform the ritual which caused apprehension among site workers for hours.
The situation forced the developers of the federal housing estate, Medaville Building & Construction Co. Ltd and its Managing Director, Otunba Ademola Akin-Benson, to seek the intervention of policemen.
The timely intervention of some policemen from the state police headquarters, brought calmness to the scene as the worshippers and the developer were taken to the police headquarters for resolution.
Speaking at a meeting with the police topshots, Otunba Akin-Benson, alleged that the worshippers were being sponsored by land grabbers to use the ritual at the site to scare away the federal housing estate developer and his site workers, insisting that the land had been legally acquired by the federal government for the estate.
He said several times in recent past, thugs and ritualists had attacked site workers at the estate, which made him to approach court and the court had ordered all parties including the Deji of Akure, Oba Ogunlade Aladetoyinbo, to maintain status quo and allow the project to continue.
In a petition signed by the developers lawyer, Mr Femi Emodamori and addressed to the state Commissioner of Police, the Deji of Akure, Oba Ogunlade Aladetoyinbo was fingered for allegedly sponsoring the ritualists.
Mr Emodamori described the invasion of the federal estate site as traditional hooliganism.
“The said parcel of land had been acquired with other adjoining lands by the State Government over forty (40) years ago, after payment of compensation to the original owners, and was subsequently released to the Federal Government for federal projects in the State.
“Consequently, according to our clients, the land is covered by Federal Government Layout, and also has adjoining Federal Government structures like the State Police Command Headquarter where your office is located; The Ondo State Headquarters of the Nigerian Custom Service; The Ondo State Headquarters of Nigerian Immigration Service; The National Population Commission’s Office; and the Federal High Court building, amongst others.
“The Housing Project was awarded to Medaville Building & Construction Co. Ltd by the Federal Government as far back as 2009, through a letter with Reference Number PS/FMHUD/PBDC/328/VOL.I/58, dated 16th June, 2009 and signed by the then Hon. Minister of Works and Housing, Chief (Mrs.) Grace Ekpiwhre.
“Our clients stated that construction works had started on the land almost immediately, but later suffered some delays occasioned by inadequate funding. The lease agreement between the Federal Government and our clients on the project was however recently renewed and/or extended, sequel to which massive construction works on the land resumed.
“According to our clients, the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi, had in recent times been sponsoring thugs to disrupt and destroy the project, in connivance with some officers of the Akure Office of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, for reasons which the Kabiyesi did not initially disclose, until recently when the Kabiyesi started demanding, both directly and through his proxies, for six (6) acres of land at the project site, as well as some other monetary and material gifts for some traditional ceremonies.
“These demands are unjustifiable, illegal, obnoxious and purely extortionist. For the avoidance of doubt sir, our clients have Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade on tape making some of these demands, and would never make any allegation against the Royal Father which is not backed with forensic and undeniable evidence,” the lawyer said in the petition.
Reacting, the leader of the worshipper, Chief Abisoye Asoga Adigun of Akureland said contrary to allegations of land grabbing, it was in the tradition to perform the ritual at a small rock inside the estate, at least once in ten years.
Reacting to the allegation, the Deji of Akure, Oba Ogunlade Aladetoyinbo described the allegation by the developer as untrue, noting that the land in question belong to Akure traditional worshippers.
Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Michael Adeyeye, the Akure monarch said the ritual at the estate site was in line with the community’s tradition.
The Deji of Akure’s Spokesman said the Royal Father would continue to promote and maintain tradition, peaceful co-existence and overall development of the Ondo state capital.
Below is the full text of the petition by the developer;
24th May, 2021.
Our Ref: FEE/CP/ODS/13/21
The Commissioner for Police
Ondo State Police Command Headquarters
Igbatoro Road, Alagbaka
Akure.
Dear Sir,
COMPLAINT OF INACTION OVER PREVIOUS REPORTS TO YOUR OFFICE IN RESPECT OF CRIMINAL TRESPASS TO FEDERAL GOVERNMENT-OWNED MEDAVILLE ESTATE IN AKURE, AND FRESH REPORT OF IMMINENT ATTACKS ON THE ESTATE AS WELL AS OTUNBA ADEMOLA AKIN-BENSON OF MEDAVILLE BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION CO. LTD, BY THUGS SPONSORED BY THE DEJI OF AKURE;
A CALL FOR URGENT POLICE ACTION.
We act as Solicitors to Medaville Building & Construction Co. Ltd and her Managing Director and Chief Executive Chairman, Otunba Ademola Akin-Benson, hereinafter referred to as “our clients”.
From our brief, the Federal Government of Nigeria, through the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, is in partnership with our clients for the construction of Housing Units for the benefit of the people of Ondo State and Akure in particular, at the vast expanse of land directly opposite the Ondo State Police Command Headquarters, Akure, under a Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) initiative.
The said parcel of land had been acquired with other adjoining lands by the State Government over forty (40) years ago, after payment of compensation to the original owners, and was subsequently released to the Federal Government for federal projects in the State. Consequently, according to our clients, the land is covered by Federal Government Layout, and also has adjoining Federal Government structures like the State Police Command Headquarter where your office is located; The Ondo State Headquarters of the Nigerian Custom Service; The Ondo State Headquarters of Nigerian Immigration Service; The National Population Commission’s Office; and the Federal High Court building, amongst others.
The Housing Project was awarded to Medaville Building & Construction Co. Ltd by the Federal Government as far back as 2009, through a letter with Reference Number PS/FMHUD/PBDC/328/VOL.I/58, dated 16th June, 2009 and signed by the then Hon. Minister of Works and Housing, Chief (Mrs.) Grace Ekpiwhre. Our clients stated that construction works had started on the land almost immediately, but later suffered some delays occasioned by inadequate funding. The lease agreement between the Federal Government and our clients on the project was however recently renewed and/or extended, sequel to which massive construction works on the land resumed.
According to our clients, the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi, had in recent times been sponsoring thugs to disrupt and destroy the project, in connivance with some officers of the Akure Office of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, for reasons which the Kabiyesi did not initially disclose, until recently when the Kabiyesi started demanding, both directly and through his proxies, for six (6) acres of land at the project site, as well as some other monetary and material gifts for some traditional ceremonies.
These demands are unjustifiable, illegal, obnoxious and purely extortionist.
For the avoidance of doubt sir, our clients have Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade on tape making some of these demands, and would never make any allegation against the Royal Father which is not backed with forensic and undeniable evidence.
Our clients have enormous respect for traditional institutions, including the Deji of Akure stool, and would not have made this potentially embarrassing disclosure against the Kabiyesi, except that Kabiyesi has now pushed our clients to the wall by ordering and/or superintending malicious destructions of their properties worth millions of naira at the project site, criminal obstructions of further works on the project, and some life-threatening activities.
You would recall, sir, that our clients had previously reported some of these criminal actions to your office in writing, over which your office has, regrettably, done little or nothing, thereby emboldening the Deji of Akure to continue his acts of lawlessness and impunity. In this regard, we refer your esteemed office to the following petitions that had been written to your office by our clients:
A petition dated 25th July, 2020 and personally signed by Otunba Ademola Akin-Benson (our client), titled: “COMPLAINT OF CRIMINAL TRESPASS AND WILLFUL DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY”, a copy of which is attached hereto as Annexure A, for ease of reference; and
Another petition dated 16th December, 2020 and personally signed by Otunba Ademola Akin-Benson (our client), titled: “PETITION OF MEDAVILLE BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMPANY LIMITED AGAINST PERSONS WHO UNLAWFULLY TRESPASSED INTO ITS ESTATE AND DESTROYED PROPERTY WORTH MILLIONS OF NAIRA”, the acknowledgement copy of which is equally attached hereto as Annexure B, for ease of reference.
According to our clients, before the Kabiyesi openly came up with the above demands, some thugs who falsely claimed to be “Omo Oniles” (land owners) had come to the Housing Project site to harass and assault our clients’ workers. Upon learning that the thugs were instigated by the Deji of Akure, Otunba Ademola Akin-Benson (our client) subsequently went to the Kabiyesi, and the latter initially informed him, in the presence of witnesses, that the report he had was that people from the neigbouring Idanre Community were forcefully taking over Akure land at the project site.
Our client (Otuba Ademola Akin-Benson), as the Project Developer, however produced and showed the Kabiyesi all the contract documents from the Federal Government in relation to the Housing Project, after which he observed all the ‘courtesies’ associated with his visit to the Palace, and there was momentary respite for our clients thereafter.
Subsequently however, the Deji’s agents forcefully came and bulldozed a large portion of the German floor and pillars already constructed on the land by our clients. The report, as well as photographs and video recordings evidencing the destruction had been made to your office by our clients in their previous petitions referred to above, as you would recall sir.
On 19th and 20th May, 2021, according to our clients, a traditional priest from the Palace of the Deji of Akure, Bisoye Asoga, came to the same Medaville Housing Estate in broad daylight and deposited some charms there, threatening to mobilize some other traditionalists from the Deji’s Palace to come back and attack our clients and their workers on the land, unless the demands of the Deji of Akure were immediately complied with. Incredibly, the said Bisoye Asoga was said to have even left a mobile phone number 08033858088 with our clients’ workers, for negotiation.
Earlier today, 24th May, 2021, the same Deji of Akure instigated some traditional worshippers and thugs from his Place, including the same Asoga, to come and carry out some rituals on the land, claiming that the land is the traditional site for burying dead pregnant women in Akure, and that the Akure Community has to be performing some rituals on it every seven years.
These claims, from the facts made available to us, are however mere subterfuges for the Deji to intimidate and force our clients to accede to his extortionist adventure for 6 acres to be given to him by our clients, from the Federal Government-owned land.
Instructively, for the past twelve years that our clients have been on the land as the Project Developers, no Deji of Akure had ever invaded the land in the name of performing any rituals, and there had been at least two occupants of the Deji’s stool since the Project started, before the incumbent Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi.
As earlier stated, the Medaville Housing Estate land and the adjoining land had been lawfully acquired by the State Government from the original owners over forty (40) years ago and subsequently released to the Federal Government for Federal projects in the State.
Regrettably sir, according to our clients, your office has failed to take any serious actions on their previous petitions to your office, in spite of the fact that the reported blackmail by Oba Ogunlade Aladetoyinbo is a direct threat to the Federal Government Housing Project that is directly opposite your own police Command Headquarters. Our clients are afraid that the officers under your command that were assigned to investigate the previous petitions dating back to July, 2020 might have compromised the investigation.
There is no doubt that the police have the statutory duty for the protection of lives and properties, as well as the preventing and detecting of crimes and the prosecution of offenders, by virtue of Section 4 (a) & (c) and Section 66 of the Nigeria Police Act, 2020.
It is clear, from the facts stated above, that Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi and his messengers have prima facie cases to answer for the criminal offences of Conspiracy, Forcible Entry, and Compelling Action by Intimidation, by virtue of Sections 516, 81, and 366 respectively of the Criminal Code, Cape 37, Volume 1, Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.
No traditional ruler, no matter how highly exalted his stool may be, has immunity against criminal investigation and/or prosecution under our laws, and the respect traditionally accorded their stools is not a license for lawlessness, criminally and/or impunity.
The most absurd aspect of the whole issue is that a civil case has already been instituted by our clients against the Deji of Akure, and same is still pending before Hon. Justice W.A Akintoroye of Ondo State High Court 2, Akure. As a matter of fact, the Court had even granted an injunction against the Deji and his servants, agents or privies, from committing further acts of trespass on the same land. The pending Suit has Suit No. AK/ 258/2020: Medaville Building Construction Co. Ltd V His Royal Majesty Oba Aladelusi Ogunlade Aladetoyinbo (The Deji of Akure) & 4 others.
For the avoidance of doubt, our clients have restated that they are going ahead with the civil court action for declaration and damages against the Deji of Akure and his messengers who are well captured in the series of video evidence, for their trespass to, and/or massive destruction of the Federal Government-owned properties, which are meant for the benefit and enjoyment of the people of Ondo State, all in their bid to extort our clients, for purely selfish reasons.
Our clients are also formally petitioning the Deji of Akure to the Ondo State Executive Council, in view of the fact that the State has a duty, by virtue of Section 5(3)(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), to exercise its Executive Power so as not to “endanger any asset or investment of the Government of the Federation in that State.”
Your highly esteemed office would however understand that neither of the above steps could be a basis for the police to abdicate its own statutory duties in dealing with the alleged criminal aspect of the destructive actions of the Deji of Akure and his well-known sponsored thugs, particularly in view of the provision of Section 290 (5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Ondo State, 2015, which categorically states as follows:
“The pendency of criminal proceedings shall not be a bar to a civil action in respect of the same subject matter.”
On the premise of the above facts, we are, on behalf of our clients, calling on your esteemed office to immediately direct or redirect a serious and efficient investigation into the criminal allegations against Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi, the Deji of Akure, as contained in this fresh petition, and to go ahead and prosecute the Kabiyesi as well as all other persons who may be found culpable after the investigation.
We believe you have the courage and undefiled conscience to perform your statutory role in this regard, and would not allow this fresh petition to be swept under the carpet.
Please take notice that this petition is endorsed to both the Inspector-General of Police and the Hon. Minister for Works and Housing, due to the sensitivity of the subject matter.
Accept the assurances of the highest regards of our clients, Sir.
Yours faithfully
Femi Emmanuel Emodamori.
Cc:
The Inspector-General of Police
Nigerian Police Force Headquarters
Loius Edet House, Central Business District
Abuja.
The Hon. Minister for Works and Housing
Federal Ministry of Works and Housing
Mabushi, Abuja.
Dear Sir, the above is for your information and necessary action, please.
Yours faithfully,
Femi Emmanuel Emodamori
