Posted by By CHRIS ANUCHA on
A retired Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Mr. Ephraim Fehintola has raised alarm over his alleged torture and forceful eviction from his No. 3 Barrow Avenue, Ikoyi, Lagos, house by some policemen attached to the Force Headquarters Annex, Kam Salem House, Obalende, Lagos.
•Police officers throw due process to the dogs, evict ex-dcp from official quarters
A retired Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Mr. Ephraim Fehintola has raised alarm over his alleged torture and forceful eviction from his No. 3 Barrow Avenue, Ikoyi, Lagos, house by some policemen attached to the Force Headquarters Annex, Kam Salem House, Obalende, Lagos.
The retired police boss expressed surprise that the Nigeria police he served and retired after 35 years of meritorious and unblemished service could treat him like a common criminal, by torturing and bundling him into a vehicle and driving him to the headquarters Annex where his movement was restricted for hours.
This is coming at a time the retired officer only received his gratuity since after his retirement on October 30, 2004.
Narrating the incident of that fateful Friday, March 28, 2008, Fehintola recalled how 35 armed policemen, led by one Alimi Suleiman, a Chief Superintendent of police (CSP) bundled him into a pick-up van with registration number NPF 2469 B, claiming to be acting on the instruction of the Commissioner of Police in charge of "C" Department (Works), Force Headquarters Annex, Kan Salem House, Mr. A.O. Obanye.
Other members of the teams were Sunday Onyemali, an Assistant Superintendent of police, Jimmy, Rufus, all Assistant Superintendents of police.
Others are Boniface, a police Inspector, Tunde Abdulrahaman, a police Sergeant and Alaode, a police constable.
Giving an insight into what led to his present travail, Fehintola's lawyer, Wahab Kunle Shittu said his client was a legal tenant of 3A Barrow Avenue, Ikoyi, Lagos, where he lived with his family for many years.
He explained that Fehintola also bidded for the property with the Implementation Committee of the Federal Government in charge of the sale of Federal Government houses.
According to him, the bidding was still being considered while the police authorities, the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and the Implementation Committee were still embroiled in controversy over the ownership of the property.
He revealed that the police authorities attempted to take over the property and to eject Fehintola from the house, a development he said, led to repeated protests by his client to the Inspector General of police and the Presidency.
He said: "Our client has further instituted legal proceedings at the Federal High Court against parties, including the Inspector General of police on the need to respect his possessory rights over the property, having served the country for 35 years and indicated his interest to purchase the property as a sitting tenant. This suit already assigned to the Federal High Court 14 was being listed for hearing on Wednesday 16th April, 2998."
Shittu expressed surprise that notwithstanding the above, the retired Deputy Commissioner of police woke up that fateful morning to see that his residential apartment had been invaded by armed policemen who forcefully broke into his house, removed all his property, his wife and children beaten mercilessly by the rampaging cops.
In a petition written to Obanye dated March 31, 2008, Shittu explained that during the invasion, which occurred in the presence of his client's wife, the policemen scattered all his properties, a development he said, exposed him to unimaginable embarrassment.
The letter said: "Please, be advised that as we write, our client is filing processes before the Federal High Court on issues related to the said property at 3, Barrow Avenue, Ikoyi and, therefore, will urge that in the interest of due process and rule of law that all stay action on the unlawful forceful ejection until all issues connected thereto are resolved in court."
"We believe that as an officer of the law and a gentleman, you will immediately consider putting the illegal ejection in abeyance, knowing that the officer at the other end of justice is a Nigerian citizen with full right and a colleague, who has put in over 35 years of meritorious services to the country. Throwing our client to the street without alternative accommodation in the circumstances will be insensitive and we urge you to show mercy and allow the law to take its course."
Shittu concluded the letter by reiterating his client's interest to purchase the property as a legal sitting tenant with the implementation committee of the White paper on the commission of inquiry into the alienation of the federal government landed property.
Daily Sun learnt from the documents made available to it that series of communications had taken place between Fehintola, Obanye, the Implementation Committee on the Alienation of Federal Government Landed property, the Federal Ministry of Environment, Housing and Urban Development and others concerned on the matter.
Everything pointed to the fact that the retired officer is interested in purchasing the property.
That led to his going to the Court to seek justice. It would be recalled that Justice Tijani Abubakar of Federal High Court in Lagos, had restrained the Minister of Environment, Housing and Urban Development from evicting Fehintola.
The court also restrained the Chairman, Implementation Committee of Federal Government Landed Properties, Col. Mohammed, Head of Implementation Committee Task Force on Eviction, Lagos zone and their agents from carrying the planned eviction of the occupants from the property.