BY INNOCENT ANABA

LAGOS — Director-General, Police Assistance Committee of Tradesmen/Women, Prophet Martins Oni, has petitioned the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Aloma Mukhtar and the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar, over the demolition of his 17-year-old property.

He is urging them to investigate the authenticity of an enrolment judgment of the Lagos State High Court on the basis of which his house was brought down.

Oni, who is also the General-Overseer of the Chosen of the Lord Ministry, said property worth N1.2 billion was allegedly stolen by hoodlums during the demolition.

According to him, he was in his office in August 2009 at Plot 15, Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Ijesha when some people, who claimed to be bailiffs from the Lagos State High Court, showed him the judgment.

The Enrolment of Judgment, dated October 30, 2008, was in a suit numbered ID/2801/92 between Mr Farayola and Alhaji G. Owoade. It stated the claimant as entitled to a Certificate of Occupancy of a land at Obalodu Street, Ijeshatedo, measuring approximately 430,849 square meters.

The judgment also restrained the defendant from trespassing on the land or interfering with the claimant’s enjoyment of it; and awarded N500,000 as general damages for the acts of trespass as well as cost of N250,000 awarded against the defendant.

Oni said he was not named in the case and was never served any hearing notice, more so that the said land belongs to him, as he acquired same 17 years ago from Owoade (the defendant in the suit).

According to him, he still has the land’s documents, including the survey plan, house plan, receipt of purchase, building plan, the Ijeshatedo family land receipt and other documents from the state government.

“Nobody informed me that the land and my building were in contention of any sort. The crowd who were armed overpowered me and my workers and commenced the week-long demolition,” Oni said.