Rachael Omidiji, Author at Tribune Online

A Federal High Court in Abuja has restrained the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Olukayode Egbetokun; the FCT Commissioner of Police, Ajao Saka Adewale; the Head of the IGP Monitoring Unit at the Force Headquarters, DCP Akin Fakorede; and others from alleged continued violation and obstruction in connection with the River Park Estate dispute. Justice Obiora Egwuatu, in a ruling on an ex parte motion on Wednesday, ordered the parties before him not to take any action that would foist a fait accompli on the court regarding the matter. He fixed June 26 for the commencement of the hearing on the land dispute. The developers of River Park Estate—JonahCapital Ltd and Houses for Africa Ltd—along with Samuel Esson Jonah, Kojo Ansah Mensah, Victor Quainoo, and their legal practitioner, Abu Arome, filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit seeking, among other reliefs, an interim injunction restraining the police, EFCC, and other named parties. Others joined in the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1130/2025, include the FCT Zonal Commander of the EFCC, Mr. Michael Wetkas; EFCC investigator Eunice Vou Dalyop; and one Kabiru Baba. The suit follows multiple petitions over alleged trespass and ownership disputes concerning the estate, which prompted the IGP to establish a Special Investigation Panel (SIP) to harmonize and investigate petitions submitted by various interests. The businessmen claimed that after several weeks of hearings, the panel completed its report and forwarded it to the IGP. The IGP, through the Principal Staff Officer 1, informed the parties that the report would be reviewed by the Commissioner of Police, Legal, to identify any criminal or triable offences. However, the Ghanaian investors alleged that despite the previous investigation, Paulo Homes Limited submitted another petition on April 10, 2025, repeating allegations already addressed by the SIP. They further informed the court that letters sent on March 20 and April 16, 2025, requesting the release of the SIP report produced by an 11-member team were ignored. Instead, Fakorede allegedly initiated a fresh investigation on the same subject. The applicants accused Fakorede, a former head of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), of harassment, intimidation, and repeated invitations under the guise of conducting a new investigation. They also claimed that, in what appears to be a case of double jeopardy, EFCC operatives arrested and detained Kojo Ansah Mensah, CEO of JonahCapital and Houses for Africa Nigeria, for several days. Consequently, the investors petitioned the Hashimu Argungu-led Police Service Commission (PSC), as well as the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), seeking intervention. They are asking the court for a perpetual injunction restraining police and EFCC officials from further inviting, intimidating, harassing, arresting, or detaining them over matters relating to the Heads of Agreement dated June 1, 2012, its addendum of the same date, and the Completion Agreement of July 13, 2012—under the pretext of investigating allegations of forgery and conspiracy to commit forgery. In addition to a demand for ₦200 million in damages, as presented by their lead counsel, Adedayo Adedeji (SAN), the Ghanaians are also seeking a court order compelling the release of the SIP investigation report, led by DCP Usman Ahmed Imam of the Force Criminal Investigation Department. Providing background to the dispute, Mensah explained that his company, JonahCapital Ltd, entered into a Joint Venture Agreement with Nigerian firm Paulo Homes Limited on January 28, 2013. Under the agreement, JonahCapital, through its development arm—Houses for Africa Nigeria Ltd—offered Paulo Homes 30% of the land for which it could secure building approvals and permits. However, Paulo Homes allegedly breached the agreement, encroaching on more land and later accusing Samuel Jonah, Victor Quainoo, and Kojo Ansah Mensah of forgery. ALSO READ: NASS transmits tax reform bills for Tinubu’s assent Similarly, former directors Adrian Ogunmuyiwa and John Townley-Johnson, who in 2012 had relinquished their stakes to JonahCapital Ltd, reportedly reversed their positions and accused the Ghanaians of forging the same documents used to transfer their shares. These documents include the Heads of Agreement dated June 1, 2012; the Addendum to the Heads of Agreement of the same date; and the Completion Agreement dated July 13, 2012, signed by Samuel Esson Jonah and Houses for Africa Holdings Inc. Meanwhile, the IGP has reportedly failed to respond to a request by the Attorney General’s office for the release of the SIP report. A letter dated May 16, 2025—received by the IGP's office on May 19 and signed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Mohammed Baba Abubakar—acknowledged receipt of a petition dated May 7, 2025, from Samuel Esson Jonah, requesting the case file. However, there has been no response. Similarly, the Ghana High Commission in Nigeria, through Acting High Commissioner Eddison Mensah Agbenyegah, on April 9, 2025, wrote to the IGP requesting certified true copies of the SIP’s final report and offered to cover all legitimate costs, but again received no reply. The investors also submitted video evidence alleging that personnel from Mopol 45 have continued to harass and intimidate them while denying them access to their land—yet allowing Paulo Homes’ workers access to the disputed area for construction. NIGERIAN TRIBUNE