A businessman, Mr. Dada Aigbe, was sent to Kirikiri Correctional Facility for disobeying a lawful court order over interfering in a land matter over which he is not a party.
This is based on the order of Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja.
Mr. Dada Aigbe jailed for contempt
The presiding judge, Justice Akintunde Savage agreed that the Chairman of Confidence Cargo, Freight Forwarder, Mr. Aigbe committed the offence, with a clear evidence that he disobeyed court order.
He was therefore committed to prison for one month until he purges himself of the flagrant disobedience to court order.
Complainant claimed Police have refused to obey court order on Mr. Dada Aigbe
The reason for his committal to prison is the complaint that he involved himself in a land matter that he is not a party.
The land dispute is between HRM Oba Shakirudeen Adeshina Kuti, the complainant and Osolo of Isolo, HRM, Oba Agbabiaka Kabiru Orisedeko Kuti and the Baale of Mafoluku, Ajao Estate; Chief Hussam Raheem Shekoni Elemo, as defendants before Justice M.A Savage.
The complainant claimed that their ancestral family land along Airport Road, Ewu Town, Mafoluku, Oshodi, Lagos was allegedly invaded by Oludada Aigbe and his Agents.
The case, investigated by FCID SWAT Annex, Lagos before it was transferred to FCID SWAT, Abuja through an endorsed petition letter dated 27 October 2023 for further investigation.
Upon the receipt of the petition, a team of SWAT operatives led by Inspector Murtala Folorunsho departed for Lagos State on investigation on 8 November 2023.
Upon arrival, the petitioners were contacted and their statements were recorded voluntarily adopting the same content of the petition.
The scene of crime was visited on 9 November 2024 at about noon and revisited on 11 November 2024 at about 2 p.m.
Upon the intervention of the DIG FCID, parties were interviewed on 14 November 2023. The suspect’s statement was recorded under caution.
It was also gathered that in the course of investigation, both parties presented documents backing up their claims to the ownership of the disputed land for verification.
Subsequently, a letter was sent to the Office of the Surveyor-General, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos State as well as the Appeal Court, Lagos Division, where the case is being determined in favour of the Ajamogun and Onikotun Families and against the Elemo Family since the year 2019.
The court then issued a bench warrant against Mr. Dada Aigbe and he was committed to Kirikiri Correctional Centre for one month until he purged himself of the contempt of the court with filed affidavit.
One of the parties got judgement on the matter, but Mr. Aigbe who was said not being a party, was said to have illegally taken possession of the property regardless of subsisting court order.
The judgement creditors’ family went to court through their counsel Mr. Maruf Babatunde Jimoh-Akogun Esq., for contempt and the High Court of Lagos State presided over by Justice Savage committed the contemptor to prison on Monday 11th day of March 2014.
He was also ordered to henceforth not disobey the court or any court order and the warrant, dated 11 March 2024, was signed by the court’s Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. A. O Lasisi.
Following the order, the judgement creditors’ served the Lagos State Police Command to comply with the order of the court and it was reported that Officer in Charge of Crack Squad SP. Ugowe Joel arrested him at the NAHCO.
But there was a a claim by the complainant that Mr. Aigbe was released without sending him to prison as order by the court.
The reporters contacted the Lagos Public Relations Officer of the Correctional Facility, Mr. Rotimi Oladokun and he explained that if the police had brought the suspect in order of court, it would be documented in their office.
Oladokun added that he would check the office report to confirm.
He, however, after three days, failed to confirm to the reporters whether Aigbe was detained in any correctional facility.
The contempt proceeding application had been moved on January 18 by Jimoh-Akogun in a case instituted by a traditional ruler, Oba Shakirudeen Adeshina-Kuti for themselves on behalf of the Ajamogun/Onikotun family of Ewu kingdom.
The claimant had filed the suit against the traditional ruler in Isolo, Oba Agbabiaka Orisedeko-Elemo and the Baale Mafoluku Ajao Estate, Chief Hussam Shekoni-Elemo as the first and second defendants respectively.
