A Lagos State High Court, sitting in Lagos, has restrained the former President and Member, Board of Trustees of the Balogun Business Association (BBA), Chief Okey Ezeibe, from forcefully taking over the secretariat, assets, funds and properties belonging to the traders association.

Others who were restrained and sued alongside Chief Ezeibe as defendants, are Chief Alex Obi-Odunukwe, Chief Ifeanyi Okwuma, Chief Ikechukwu Obiora, Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, ACP Halilu, Area Commander, Area ‘E’, Command, FESTAC, CSP Tolani, Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Trade Fair Complex, Lagos.

The court decision followed last Monday’s alleged botched Police invasion and attempt to foist an illegal leadership on the traders, by Chief Ezeibe, who was said to have employed the help of Police operatives from Area ‘E’ Command, FESTAC, led by a Superintendent of Police, SP (Names withheld) and the Operations Officer, OPS.

While delivering his ruling on the Enrolment of Order, in the suit dated Monday, 5th July, 2021, delineated as SUIT NO: ID/4749GCM/2021, the presiding Judge, Honourable Justice A.M Lawal , made the Order after hearing the Application of Barristers Ken .I. Ugwu and C. A. Obianika, Counsels for the traders, represented by the Incorporated Trustees of Balogun Business Association (BBA) and six other persons.

He Said: “I have considered the application in its entirety paragraph 24 of the affidavit in support, states that the defendants (Chief Okechukwu Ezeibe and six others) planned to take over ‘viet armis’ the secretariat of Balogun Business Association, which may lead to a breakdown of law and order.

“In order to avert this ugly situation, the interest of Justice demands a grant of some pre-emptive succours to the claimant pending when they will comply with the requirements of the pre-election protocol.”

The court stated, “The defendants (Chief Okechukwu Ezeibe and six others) are accordingly restrained as sought in the interim, pending the Claimants compliance with the pre-election”.

Justice Lawal also ordered that “the defendants (Chief Okechukwu Ezeibe and six others) are restrained from taking over or attempting to take over the secretariat, assets, funds and properties of the first Claimant (BBA), including her international centre for commerce, trade fair Complex.”

He further gave legal backing to the administration and control by BBA Care Taker Committee (CTC) led by Anselem Duru, by ruling that “the second claimant shall maintain and control the management of the affairs, assets and funds of the first claimant, including her international centre of commerce, Trade Fair Complex, pending the claimants’ compliance with the pre-action protocol formalities.”