The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has directed the Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Ahmad Abdulrahman, to curb the trespass on a parcel of land belonging to a businesswoman, Mrs Uju Ohanenye.

He also asked the CP to investigate the involvement of policemen from the Enugu command in the land matter, which is a subject of subsisting civil litigation.

The directive followed a petition by Ohanenye in which she complained about the activities of an unidentified couple illegally occupying the land in violation of  a February 6, 2018 order a  of an Enugu State High Court as well as another November 27, 2020  order delivered by an Enugu Chief Magistrates’ Court. The two judgments had awarded the two-hectare land to Ohanenye, a lawyer. The petitioner had complained to the IG that the couple occupied the land located in the Emene area of Enugu in violation of the two court orders.

Ohanenye also said policemen were protecting the couple occupying the land in violation of the judgments.

In her petition dated January 4, 2021, the businesswoman prayed the IG to direct the CP to withdraw the police officers on the land, noting that the Enugu police command was aware of the court judgment and execution.

The trespassers were earlier evicted by the court bailiffs based on the order of the Enugu High Court but they were said to have again broken into the property, wiped off the inscriptions on the walls and gates while boasting about their connections in the judiciary.

But the IG in his directive, dated January 5, 2021, directed the CP to intervene in the tussle.

The order with reference number, CB: 7000/IGP.SEC/ABJ/VOL.515/563, signed by the Principal Staff Officer to the IG, DCP Idowu Owohunwa, was titled, ‘Re: Application/request to ask Enugu State Police Command to withdraw their officers from a premises court has executed and handed over to the judgment beneficiary.’

It read, “Find attached a copy of a letter dated 4th January 2021, with its attachment received from Uju Kennedy Ohanenye (Esq.), on the above-underlined subject.

“The Inspector-General of Police directs that you intervene and furnish the outcome having regards to the legal implication of police involvement in a matter which is a subject of subsisting civil litigation.”

 

Our correspondent could not confirm onfirm whether the CP had complied with the IG’s directive as he did not respond to phone calls on Saturday. He had yet to respond to a text message seeking his comment on the involvement of the police in the civil matter.

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