Businessman threatens N10bn lawsuit over Police wanted gazette

A businessman, Dr Babafemi Oladipo Fagite, has demanded the withdrawal of a police gazette declaring him and two associates wanted, warning that failure to comply could lead to a N10 billion defamation suit against the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

Fagite, along with Dr Raymond Oluseyi Akintayo and Engr. Charles Uche Obisike, made the demand through their legal counsel, J.S. Agada & Co., in a statement issued on Wednesday.

They described the publication as a flagrant contempt of court and insisted that the police must issue a public correction and an unreserved apology.

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The trio, who are directors of Cabota Energy Services Limited, were recently declared wanted in a police bulletin over allegations of conspiracy, terrorism, kidnapping, attempted assassination, and criminal conversion of three gas-powered generating plants worth over N3 billion.

However, in a pre-action notice addressed to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and copied to the Police Service Commission (PSC), the businessmen dismissed the claims as false and malicious. They argued that the dispute was strictly commercial, stemming from a lease agreement between two companies, and not criminal in nature.

They further revealed that multiple suits arising from the matter are already pending before the Federal High Courts in Lagos and Abuja, as well as the High Court of Kogi State.

According to them, these courts have issued preservative orders directing all parties to maintain the status quo until the substantive issues are resolved.

“It is deeply regrettable that, despite pending litigations and subsisting court orders, certain individuals with ulterior motives have misled sections of the Nigeria Police Force into publishing such an injurious declaration,” the statement read.

The businessmen said the gazette had subjected them to public ridicule, reputational damage, business disruptions, and emotional distress both locally and internationally.

In a separate petition to the PSC, Fagite and his associates accused the Commissioner of Police in charge of the IGP Monitoring Unit, CP Akin Fakorede, of abuse of office, gross misconduct, and contempt of court for authorising the publication.

They called on the PSC to investigate the matter, discipline officers found culpable, and issue directives to prevent what they described as the misuse of police gazettes in disputes already before competent courts.

“The reckless declaration of Nigerian citizens as wanted persons on spurious and false allegations undermines public confidence in the police and erodes the credibility of the Force,” the petition stated.

The businessmen also demanded the immediate release of all persons arrested in connection with the matter.