…AS APPLICANT SEEKS OVER N705 MILLION AS DAMAGES
By Okosun Dennis
The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun and the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Jimoh Moshood, have been dragged to the Federal High Court, Lagos by one Ms Olayinka Asihat Kadiri, a busniess woman, over some policemen under their command unlawfully “breaking and entry” into her residence without a valid search warrant or warrant of arrest, and confiscated her vehicle and other properties.
Others joined in the suit include the Zone 2 Command Headquarters, Onikan, CSP Gbadegeshin of Bariga Police Division, and Nolt Investments Limited.
In the court suit dated 31st December, 2025, and filed by Barr. Giwa Amu; M.J Uleyo Esq; MKO Onamade Esq; and JJ Amodu Esq; are seeking the commitment of the respondents to justice for acts of violation of their client’s fundamental human right, mental torture and psychological trauma following loses she suffered in the process.
As a result, the lawyers are seeking for damages to the tune of over N705 million on behalf of their client, Ms Olayinka Asihat Kadiri.
In the suit, Barr Giwa Amu & Co. averred that over 20 policemen from the Bariga Police Station, Lagos violated his client’s Fundamental Human Rights to Private and Family Life as enshrined in Section 37 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended 2023) with first to fifth alterations.
Accordingly, he emphasized, that in an earlier petition that policemen while armed, forced themselves into the resident of his client: Ms Olayinka Asihat Kadiri to enforce illegal order without a valid Court Warrant of Arrest.
In a manner resplendent of a gestapo style, the police officers forcefully broke into the applicant’s residence at 20, Community Road, Akoka, Lagos on the 18th April, 2023, and forcefully towed the Applicant’s vehicle, Mercedes Benz SUV; Black in colour with Registration No: LND 909 HE, and Chassis No: 4JGBB86E26A044360,
and has since kept the vehicle in their custody.
In an affidavit supporting the suit, made by the applicant: Ms Olayinka Asihat Kadiri, she explained that the police misconstrued her friend, Mr David Irabor Abhulimen, who had taken some loan from the owner of Nolt Investment Limited (5th respondent) and was unable to meet the terms of agreement, to be the owner of her car despite having explained and produced valid vehicle documents, receipts of purchase to substantiate and corroborate her claim.
In defiance, the police forcefully towed the car out of her compound and kept it away from her where it wasting away.
Despite a subsisting order to the Nigeria Police to release the seized vehicle, on the instigation of the 5th Respondent, without compliance with extant laws, the police is still holding on to the vehicle, an act that breaches Sections 43 & 44 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended 2023).
Rather, it was learnt that Mr. Taiwo Adeleke, a staff of Nolt Investment Limited, who accompanied the said policemen from the Nigeria Police, Bariga Police Station, Bariga, Lagos State, was later said to have bought the said car.
In addition, it was gathered that having made several applications, the police has continued to hold on to her Mercedes Benz car, which they parked at the Officers’ Mess, Zone 2 Force Headquarters, No. 2, Island Club Road, Onikan, Lagos.
In the same affidavit, Ms Olayinka Asihat Kadiri reiterated that despite the police knowing the truth that Mr David, her friend, had used forged car documents with Registration No: LND 518 HG; Chassis 4JGBB86E26A844360; Engine No. 4JGBB86E26A844360; to obtain a loan from the 5th Respondent, even with the production of the vehicle particulars and relevant documents, the police has continued to hold on to her car.
She further noted that as in a case tantamount to taking the laws into their hands, in order to surreptitiously recover the said loan, the 5th respondent has resorted to self-help, by employing the services of the policemen to forcefully seize her car, which she purchase on the 20th September, 2021 from Goodday Motors, believing same to be that of Mr. David.
As a responsible Nigerian that believes in the rule of law, she had to send a petition to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Lagos, which necessitated compelling the respondent to bring the car.
Unfortunately, to her greatest amazement, “it was discovered that a fake Engine No: 50911222TR had been inscribed on my car.” In addition, “my address and phone number had been removed.”
Despite these revelations, the police has remained adamant, refusing to release the car to her hence she escalated the matter to the Office of the Public Defender, Lagos State, and the Office of the Office of the Attorney General of Lagos State.
Based on the forgoing and considering that the police seems to be taking side to subvert the cause of justice, she affirmed that dragging the police authorities to the court to get justice became the option rather than the exemption to be compensated for the damages suffered in the process.
Therefore, in the suit number: FHC/2/AS/2662/25, by Barr. Giwa Amu, the applicant is seeking a N500,000,000.00 (Five Hundred Million Naira) damages for the unlawful breaking and entry into her residence/premises at 20, Community Road, Akoka, Lagos on the 18th April, 2023, and forcefully towing her Mercedes Benz SUV; black in colour with Registration No. LND 909 HE; Chassis No. 4JGBB86E26A044360, “without compliance with extant laws, or without a Court Order or a Search Warrant or Warrant of arrest, or without a reasonable suspicion of an offence having been committed or is being committed, is in breach of the Applicant’s Fundamental Human Right to private and family life, as enshrined in Section 37 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended 2023) with first to fifth alterations.”
In addition, she is also asking for N200,000,000.00 (Two Hundred Million Naira) being damages for the detention and/or continued detention of the Applicant’s Mercedes Benz SUV; at the Nigeria Police, Zone 2 Force Headquarters, No. 2, Island Club Road, Onikan, Lagos, “without a Court Order or compliance with extant laws, is in breach of the Applicant’s Fundamental Human Right, as enshrined in Sections 43 & 44 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended 2023) with first to fifth alterations.”
In the process of the police forcefully removing her car, she suffered the lose of other household properties, international passport and jewelleries to which her lawyer is seeking the court to grant his client N5,000,000.00 (Five Million Naira), being damages for the following personal items and goods to wit; 5 nos Lace materials valued at N1,975,000 (One Million Nine Hundred and Seventy-five Thousand Naira); 9 Rolex wrist watches valued at N1,800,000 (One Million Eight Hundred Thousand Naira); Costume Jewelry valued at N660,000 (Six Hundred and Sixty Thousand Naira); Gold purse valued at N240,000 (Two Hundred and Forty Thousand Naira); Perfumes valued at 4195000 (One Hundred and Ninety-five Thousand Naira) and International passport; unlawfully removed from the car in the process of tolling it from her compound.
The applicant, while seeking for expeditious justice claimed in her affidavit that she has no financial muscle to purchase another car, as the continued retention of her car by the police has brought untold hardship to the family commuting. She stressed that it remains the only means of transportation.
At the moment, hearing of the suit is yet to be fixed.
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