Police Detain Lawyer, Insists Asabe Waziri Must Be Allowed Into Disputed Property Against Court Order
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The Nigeria Police have detained a lawyer, Barrister Giwa, insisting that a staff of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Ms Asabe Waziri, should be lower into a disputed property located at 1, Mekong Close, Maitama, Abuja.
Giwa visited the force headquarters on the invitation of the police but was immediately detained on the ground that he denied Asabe Waziri, access into the property.
Giwa said, “The police are threatening me to allow Asabe Inside the premises inspite of Court order that says Asabe Waziri should maintain status quo or they will detain me. Even when I told them am not strong”.
The Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the Directorate of State Services were restrained from gaining access to the property.
Justice S. B. Bawa of the High Court of Justice of Nasarawa State, who gave the order also extended it to the Commissioner of Police in FCT and the Commissioner of Police in charge of FCID, Aina Emmmanuel.
The plaintiff in the suit, Abeh Signatures has been engaged in a battle with Waziri over the purchase of two flats in the property for over two years.
The Waziri, the IGP, DSS, CP FCT and CP FCID were 1st to 5th defendants in the suit before the court.
Justice Bawa, after listening to counsel to Abeh Signatures, Barrister Victor Giwa, held, “That leave is hereby granted to the applicant restraining the 2nd to 4th Respondents either through their agents and and officers to Stay Further Action To wit-Maintain Status Quo ante bellum in respect to subject matter of the suit in relation to the Applicant until the determination of Motion on Notice.
“That leave is hereby granted to the applicant restraining the 2nd to 5th Respondents jointly and severally from Further Inviting, Arresting And Detaining the Applicant’s Directors, staff and workers on the subject matter of this suit pending the determination of Motion on Notice.”
The court fixed the hearing of the case to 3rd July, 2024.
About two weeks ago, Barrister Giwa had cried out over harrasment and intimidation by the police against him and other staff of the property company.
Barriater Giwa debunked news making round that he was detained for disobedience to court order and judgement of the court of appeal in the case involving Asabe Wazirri and Abeh signature Limited in appeal No: CA/ABJ/CV/246/2022 regarding a property in Maitama.
The lawyer, after his release from the Force Criminal Investigation Department, FCID area 10 Abuja, said the reason for his detention by FCID Commissioner of Police, Mr Aina Emmanuel, the special Enquiry bureau (SIB) was because he was irritated by the letter from Giwa’s chamber.
Victor Giwa visited the senior police officers who had earlier sent some police officers into his client’s premises to arrest one of the staff of his company, Abeh Signature apartment.
Recall that Asabe Waziri, a staff of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has been in serious brawl with Abeh signature apartment, a property company that declined selling it flat to Asabe, for making payment over of over $40, 000 in cash.
According to him, Asabe has been using some officers of the Nigeria police force to forcefully gained entrance and occupy the flats even against a direct and positive FCT High court’s Order restraining Asabe Waziri from trespassing and entering into the premises.
He said the property owner has exercised their right declined offer for purchase because of her misconduct.
Earlier in 2022 an FCT high court Abuja has in final judgement held that Asabe Waziri contract with the property company was validly terminated and ordered that all money paid, should be immediately refunded. Abeh signature in obedience to the court order issued a refund to Asabe, but Asabe has rejected the refund.
The property has been in dispute since then as a result Asabe’s insistence in claiming ownership of the flats and using security operative to forcefully take possession.
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