There was pandemonium in Asese community in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area, Ogun State on Saturday as Nigerian soldiers allegedly hired by Christ Embassy fired live bullets at workers executing a court order.
Residents of the area now live in fear as the soldiers’ action, which occurred around 4 pm Saturday has caused widespread panic, forcing businesses to close down.
An Ogun State High Court in Abeokuta, presided over by Honourable Justice B. B Adebowale had issued a ruling in favour of one Mr Paul Roy Audu in a suit against the incorporated trustees of InnerCity Mission for Children, BLW, Nigeria Limited and several Ogun State officials.
The presiding judge, while delivering judgment ordered the demolition of an unauthorized fence blocking a public access road adjacent to the plaintiff’s property. But as the workers were about to execute the court order, Nigerian soldiers started shooting live bullets at them.
The sight of the armed soldiers forced the workers to abandon their equipment and flee the scene. ‘If you continue, we will take the necessary actions,’ one of the soldiers was quoted as saying.
Videos obtained by The Standard Gazette showed Nigerian security personnel kneeling with guns aimed at the youths and employees of Iffen Ventures, the demolition company mandated to carry out the court’s order.
That was not the first time the soldiers disrupted the execution of the court order. Iffen Ventures had previously attempted the demolition on Wednesday, July 3, but were similarly threatened by the same soldiers.
Undeterred, the company returned to the site on July 6, only to face the same hostility.. The soldiers’ presence and threats to open fire if the workers proceeded with the demolition created a climate of fear and tension in the community.
“Their action was awful. If we had proceeded, they would have killed the people. If we decided to do the job at night, people would die, and some would be missing,” Olabode Babafemi, a representative from Iffen Ventures, stated.
“I will talk to Mr. Audu to get a task force and reinforcement to protect them from being intimidated,” Olabode said, emphasizing the need for additional security measures to ensure the court order can be executed without further violence.
The escalating situation has resulted in the temporary abandonment of the demolition exercise. Shops and businesses in the area have closed in response to the ongoing threat, with residents fearing for their safety.
The incident highlights the growing tension and lawlessness in the region as court orders are flouted by force of arms, thereby putting lives at risk and undermining the rule of law.
It would be recalled that the plaintiff, Mr Paul Roy Audu, had initiated legal action on October 4, 2022, seeking an interlocutory injunction to prevent the defendants from erecting a fence that obstructs the right-of-way and public access road servicing his land and the surrounding community. This request was made to ensure access preservation until the determination of the suit.
Despite the pending application, the 1st and 2nd defendants allegedly proceeded to construct the disputed fence in August 2023. This led to the plaintiff filing another motion on October 18, 2023, requesting a mandatory injunction to dismantle the fence and restore the status quo ante bellum, which refers to the state of affairs before the construction of the fence.
Justice Adebowale ruled in favour of Mr Audu’s application, directing the 4th and 5th defendants, represented by the Ministry of Physical Planning & Urban Development and the Bureau of Land and Survey, to: . 1. Demolish the fence constructed by the 1st and 2nd defendants within the public right-of-way under the supervision of the Divisional Police Officer of Ibafo Police Station.
- Ensure compliance with the order and file an affidavit of compliance within fourteen days of the ruling.
The court emphasized that the actions of the 1st and 2nd defendants, taken while the initial injunction application was pending, were contemptuous and altered the status quo, thus necessitating corrective measures.
The court ruling underscores its (the court’s) commitment to following legal processes and preventing unlawful obstructions that affect community access and property rights. The demolition order aims to restore the original state of the disputed access road and reinforce the rule of law.
Legal representatives involved in the case included: Na Muviwa-Oni for the Claimant, Tope Ojewunmi for the 1st Defendant, Dr Okunide Ayeni and Cynthia Chukwu for the 2nd Defendant and Adehuale Maruwa along with O.A. Adebayo for the 3rd to 5th defendants.
Credit: PM News
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