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A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Gerald Ezeuko, has petitioned the Assistant Inspector General of Police for Zone 13, Ukpo, Anambra State, AIG Ndidi Aghulor, on behalf of his client, Lake Petroleum Limited, against the Chairman of Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Emeka Orji, alleging malicious damage of property and disobedience to constituted authority.
Ezeuko said Orji’s activities on Ndende land, which case is pending in court are capable of causing a breach of peace.
In the petition, the SAN alleged that Orji is involved in the unlawful sale of Ndende land for which his client, Lake Petroleum Limited, is in the Federal High Court, Awka, against Anambra State Government, the Attorney-General of Anambra State, Emeka Orji and the Inspector General of Police.
He also alleged that the council chairman’s activities in the said Ndende land, constitute a threat to life and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace, just as it is threatening violence to his clients, Lake Petroleum and its workers.
Recall that over 4,000 sand miners, traders and other occupants doing different businesses on Ndende kand, situated along Niger Street, Fegge, Onitsha South Local Government Area, were displaced following the demolition of shops and destruction of sand pits by the authorities of the local council in March 2024.
South-East PUNCH gathered that Orji allegedly supervised the demolition when he was still the Transition Chairman of Onitsha South Local Government Area before he was elected substantive Chairman.
The demolition resulted in Lake Petroleum Limited filing a fundamental rights suit against the Anambra State government, and three others.
Lake Petroleum subsequently secured an interim injunction restraining the respondents by themselves, agents, privies, and cronies from further invasion entering, ejection, demolition and sealing off, and stationing armed thugs and policemen on the land.
However, the order was allegedly flouted by Onitsha South Local Government authorities, which have continued to carry out commercial activities on the land, irrespective of the court order, restraining them and the Anambra State government, from carrying out any activity on the land.
South-East PUNCH’s findings showed that over 4,000 of the displaced persons had last year, precisely on Wednesday, November 27, 2024, in some national dailies’ publications, accused the Onitsha South Local Government Area of reallocating Ndende land, after demolition.
The victims of the demolition, including sand miners, traders, shop owners and other occupants, whose structures were destroyed at Ndende kand, had during a protest in November 2024 called on the Anambra State Police Commissioner, CP Nnaghe Itam, and the Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, Zone 13, Ukpo, to stop Mr Orji from his alleged illegal activities on the land to avert possible breakdown of law and order that may result from further illegal activities of government officials on the land, which case is pending in the Federal High Court Awka.
It was reported that no fewer than 1,600 shops and structures belonging to Lake Petroleum Limited were destroyed on the said Ndende land, along Niger Street in March 2024, thereby displacing over 4,000 occupants.
However, Ezeuko’s petition, made available to journalists on Monday, told the AIG Zone 13 that the conduct of Orji from March 11, 2024, when he supervised the malicious demolition of his client’s property till date, constitutes conduct likely to cause a breach of peace and urged the Police in the state to tame him.
His petition reads, “We have been briefed and our professional service retained by Lake Petroleum Limited, a company registered under the law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with its address at Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, hereinafter referred to as our client and on whose firm instruction we write this petition.
“It is our brief that our client, as the bonafide owner in possession and holder of Statutory Right of Occupancy in respect of the portions of land known as Ndende kand situate along Niger Street Onitsha in Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State.
“Our client has always exercised its right of ownership and possession over the land without let or hindrance before the criminal activities of the said Emeka Orji.
“Our client, in the further exercise of its constitutionally guaranteed right to own landed property and by its purpose clause erected buildings and shops on the said land which are for commercial purposes and put in rent paying tenants who carry on their legitimate business activities thereon and pay rents to our clients.
“Consequently, to our client’s greatest chagrin, on the 11th day of March 20 24, Mr Emeka Orji, Chairman, (Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State) through his agents known as Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra State, OCHA, Brigade, armed thugs and without any legal justification forcefully invaded our clients land, forcefully ejected our client’s staff and tenants from the land.
“The said Mr Emeka Orji, used heavy earth moving machines such as excavators, bulldozers and other equipment and maliciously damaged our client’s buildings and shops on the land, sealed it off and forcefully took over the land.
“Our clients, its staff and tenants have had the said land carrying on their daily legitimate business activities without any let or hindrance from the third party until Mr Emeka Orji and his agents invaded our clients’ property and maliciously damaged same.
“We are of firm position that the above conduct of Emeka Orji constitutes conduct likely to cause a breach of peace. Our client being law abiding citizen instead of resorting to self-help, which may lead to a breach of peace has resorted to making use of the appropriate channel with the aim that this complaint be addressed properly and as well to ensure the protection of the lives of our client’s staff and property.
“Our client is now living in perpetual fear of being hurt because of the incessant threat to lives and property by Mr Emeka Orji. Hence, we beseech you to use your good office to set up a special investigative team to investigate this complaint effectively and to ensure that Mr Orji is brought to justice immediately and is restrained from gross misconduct and criminal activities which may likely result in a breach of public peace and breakdown of law and order.
“We anticipate your prompt, expedient response and utmost assistance as the lives of our client’s staff are in imminent danger and under threat by Mr Emeka Orji.”
English (US) ·