Court restrains IGP from arresting Epe royal family head

IGP Kayode Egbetokun
Justice Wasiu Animahun of a Lagos State High Court sitting in Epe has restrained the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and six others, from arresting, detaining or inviting Otunba Abduwasiu Musa-Adebamowo, whether individually or collectively, in connection with a dispute touching the headship of the Ewade Ruling House of Igboye.

The court also restrained the IGP from taking any action against his powers and rights to management of the family’s landed properties in Abapawa, Gbojuwara, Talase, Idotun and Legumo villages of Igboyeland, in Epe Eredo, Lagos State.

The judge made the order while ruling in a suit marked: EPD/15044MFHR/2023, filed by the applicant, Otunba Musa-Adebamowo.

The judge said the order would subsist until the determination of the suit.

Apart from the IGP, others restrained by the court include the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, (Force CID Annex, Alagbon Close, Ikoyi, Lagos State); AIG (Zone 2 Headquarters, Onikan, Lagos State); Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Commissioner of Police (Special Fraud Unit) Milverton Road, Ikoyi, Lagos State); Deputy Commissioner of Police (State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba); and the Area Commander, Nigeria Police Force (Area J Command, Elemoro, Lagos State), who were listed as 2nd to 7th defendants in the suit.

The court further restrained the 1st to 7th respondents and their officers, men and agents from harassing, intimidating, inviting, arresting, detaining and compelling the applicant to render account of the management of the family’s landed properties to the 8th to 14th respondents under whatever guise or means, until the final determination of the suit.


Justice Animahun further restrained the 1st to 7th respondents and their officers from re-investigating the applicant on the same criminal allegation made against the applicant by the 8th to 14th respondents and/or their privies and cohorts in respect of the management of the account of the family’s landed properties, until the determination of the suit in which an order of interlocutory injunction was made.

The 8th to 14th respondents respectively in the suit are: Julius Adenuga Lawal; Caleb Adeleke Ogunnubi; Felix Olusegun Adekoya; Kayode Adebowale; Adedayo Victor Sunday; Musiliu Abiodun Musa; Sunday Abiodun Adebowale; Keshab Properties and Investments Limited; Aviance Homes and Properties Limited; and CMW Properties Limited.

The court, therefore, awarded N1 million in favour of the applicant against the 8th-17th respondents jointly and severally as general damages for the persistent breaches by the 1st to 7th respondents of the fundamental rights of the applicant to dignity of human person, personal liberty, right to fair hearing and freedom of movement.

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