A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr. Wahab Shittu, has written a petition to the Attorney General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, seeking urgent intervention over what he described as a “shameful abuse of Police powers” and “criminal contempt of court orders” by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON, in collusion with operatives of the Nigeria Police Force in respect of Maina Plaza.
Shittu, acting for himself and 15 other tenants of Maina Plaza located at Plot 1091, Herbert Macaulay Way, Central Business District, Abuja, alleged that despite a subsisting court order protecting lawful occupants of the building, AMCON, on April 25, 2025 barricaded the entire premises and vandalised critical infrastructure.
He further detailed how, on June 23, armed Policemen stormed the plaza and forcefully ejected all tenants based on an ex-parte order in a suit to which none of the tenants were parties. Although the order was later set aside on June 30 due to misrepresentation, Shittu lamented that the plaza remains sealed.
According to the petition, further acts of destruction occurred on July 4 under Police supervision, including the removal of interlocking stones, toilets, and electrical fittings – a situation the senior lawyer described as a campaign of psychological warfare.
Dr. Shittu urged the AGF to order the immediate withdrawal of Police officers, enforce court rulings, and initiate an independent investigation into the matter.
He warned, “This is impunity and lawlessness of the greatest order,” stressing that failure to act would damage the image of the Nigerian state.
Petition to AGF over Maina Plaza
7th July 2025
The Attorney General of the Federation And Minister of Justice,
Federal Ministry of Justice,
Plot 71B, Shehu Shagari Way,
Maitama,
Abuja
FCT.
Attention: Prince Lateef Fagbemi
Sir,
THE UNLAWFUL SEALING, VANDALISATION, AND CONTINUED HARASSMENT OF TENANTS AT MAINA PLAZA, PLOT 1091 HERBERT MACAULAY WAY, CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT, ABUJA – A CALL FOR URGENT INTERVENTION
I act on behalf of our firm (W. K. Shittu SAN & Co.), Management Edge Limited; Belbella Limited; New Age Network Limited; Alfred & Darnley Solicitors; Mabiz Global Nig. Ltd; Wichtech Industries Limited; Luzoil & Energy Resources Ltd.; Masonary Limited; Baajell Integrated Services Limited; Lamanko Nig, Limited; Tower Assets Magt. Limited; Adewole Adebayo & Co. House of Law; Gemsmart Homes Limited; Apib Korea Medical Equipment Supply Company Limited and other lawful tenants of business premises located at PLOT 1091 Herbert Macaulay Way, Central Business District, Abuja (hereinafter referred to as ‘Our Clients’.
I have the honour to write in my capacity as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and, more directly, as one of the tenants of Maina Plaza, where my chamber is located at Suite C17, 2nd Floor, at Plot 1091, Herbert Macaulay Way, Central Business District, Abuja.
I am constrained by the current state of impunity and lawlessness being orchestrated by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) in active connivance with operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, in flagrant violation of subsisting court orders, statutory rights of tenants, and the fundamental tenets of due process.
The entire episode traces its origin to an alleged commercial debt owed by Maina Ventures, the property owner, to FCMB. The said debt was acquired by AMCON and is now the subject of a pending suit before the Honourable Justice Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja. The case is listed as AMCON vs. Maina Ventures Ltd (Suit No: FHC/CS/ABJ/545/2015. The other suit on the same subject matter is: Suit ABJ/AMC/2024 AMCON vs Maina Ventures Ltd & 3 ORS before Hon. Justice Emeka Nwite.
In the course of proceedings, His Lordship issued an express order that tenants lawfully occupying the plaza must not be disturbed in the conduct of their businesses, nor ejected pending the determination of the case.
Despite the clarity of the court’s directive, on 25th April 2025, elements believed to be acting at the behest of AMCON invaded the plaza and dumped truckloads of sand at all access points—main and rear entrances—effectively barricading the premises. Worse still, they vandalised the electric circuit board and cables, plunging the building into darkness and disrupting businesses for two weeks. The vandalization also included armored cables, fiber optic cable, water system and the transformer.
Tenants, acting lawfully and peacefully, cleared the obstruction and resumed operations under the shield of the subsisting court order.
On 23rd June 2025, however, the matter deteriorated. Armed operatives of the Nigeria Police Force descended on the premises in overwhelming numbers. Relying on an ex parte order issued in Suit No. MN/WZ6/145/2025: IGP v. Kabiru Sulaimon Chafe, by Magistrate Ekpenyong Inyang Okon, sitting at Wuse Zone 6 Magistrates’ Court, the police forcefully sealed the plaza and ejected every tenant without notice. Let it be emphasised: none of the tenants is a party to the said proceedings, and the action was taken in spite of the earlier order of the Federal High Court protecting their rights.
On 30th June 2025, upon being properly seized of the facts, the learned Magistrate commendably set aside the ex parte order on the grounds of misrepresentation and concealment by the complainants. The said order has been duly served on the police, yet the plaza remains unlawfully sealed and tenants are still being denied access.
Even more egregiously, on 4th July 2025, certain elements — once again shielded by officers of the Nigeria Police — resumed acts of vandalism, systematically removing interlocking stones, toilet seats, urinals, and fittings from the premises in what is clearly a campaign of intimidation and psychological warfare, aimed at breaking the will of tenants and forcibly vacating the premises.
Sir, this is not only a shameful abuse of police powers, it constitutes a criminal contempt of court orders, a violation of property and commercial rights, and a direct assault on the dignity of tenants who are blameless in the underlying financial dispute.
The conduct of AMCON and its agents, acting in concert with police operatives (acting illegally in defiance of court orders), is symptomatic of a creeping culture of impunity. It sends a dangerous message: that lawful court orders can be flouted; that legitimate businesses can be crippled without consequence; and that the police — the very institution tasked with upholding law and order — can become tools for commercial coercion.
We therefore humbly but firmly urge your distinguished office to:
1. Order the immediate withdrawal of police operatives from Maina Plaza;
2. Ensure full compliance with the subsisting orders of both the Federal High Court and Magistrate Court;
3. Direct an independent and transparent investigation into the role of AMCON and officers of the Nigeria Police Force in these unlawful acts;
4. Ensure accountability for all persons who have participated in the vandalisation, sealing, and harassment of tenants in defiance of lawful authority.
Please note that as I write, the business premises of all our clients remain shut in defiance of court orders, and unauthorized elements have gained entrance into the business premises, vandalizing assets with a view to forcefully ejecting lawful occupiers of the business premises. This is impunity and lawlessness of the greatest order.
Clearly, this is an attempt to takeover my law firm and other lawful businesses in the premises WITHOUT A COURT ORDER.
Sir, posterity will not be kind to our silence if we fail to act. The image of the Nigerian state must not be one of selective justice, unbridled power, and contempt for the rule of law.
Kindly accept the assurances of my highest professional regards.
Yours faithfully,
Dr. Wahab Shittu, SAN
