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A civil rights organisation, the Save Lagos Group (SLG) has expressed reservations on the activities of personnel of the Lagos State judiciary over series of confirmed underhand dealings with some unscrupulous members of the state’s bar associations.

Specifically, the group accused personnel of the Lagos State judiciary of being ‘heavily” involved in a racketeering ring where eviction orders are procured against hapless and unknown tenants by some landlords through their corrupt lawyers practicing in the state.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Monday, the Convener of Save Lagos Group (SLG), Comrade Adeniyi A. Sulaiman stated that the situation has become so worrisome that relevant authorities should step in order to restore sanity in the system if the state is to regain its credibility in the country.

The group added that the corruption in the state’s judicial system has become so deep that if left unattended to is capable of throwing the state into chaos and that the only way to restore sanity is for both the state government and the anti-graft agencies as well as professional bodies to consider a comprehensive forensic inquest into that arm of government in Lagos State.

“We are very worry with the spate of unwholesome practices in the Lagos State judiciary, especially with the ease with which unscrupulous landlords and their corrupt and lawless lawyers in connivance with the similarly corrupt judges and magistrates procure illegal eviction orders against unsuspecting members of the public.” Sulaiman on behalf of the Save Lagos Group wrote.

The group made specific reference to an order granted by an Ikeja Division of the Magistrate Court holden at Ogba for a summon of possession on a Lagos tenant, Mr. Olasesan Olabayo (+2348028740439 & +2348146263798) on a property located on 81, Candos Road, Baruwa, Ipaja, Lagos as an example of sharp practices being carried out by the judiciary and lawyers against citizens of the state.

“A copy of the summon seen by us showed that though Olabayo was the affected tenant in the case but the summon which was endorsed by the office of the registrar of the court was meant to be served on another individual named James Okekwe who is said to be living in the same premises.

“What means is that another person has been representing Olabayo during the past proceedings of the court, a clear case of fraud and violation of extant laws guiding the administrative procedures of judicial proceedings in the state.” The group wrote.

According to the group, the fraud is being carried out by a lawyer, Prince Adekunle Ajasa (+2348033289935 & +2348089839115), the Principal Partner at Winners Chambers located at Block 526, Flat 2, Abesan Housing Estate, Ipaja, Lagos whom it (the group) had in the past accused severally of being a bad example of what a legal officer should be in terms of his conduct just as the group raised an alarm that the purported sitting of the court is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, 26^th of January, 2021 (which is tomorrow) at the Samuel Ilori Court Complex, holden at Ogba, under Ikeja Magisterial District.

Sulaiman had on behalf of the group accused Ajasa of procuring a fake eviction order against Olabayo who he had planned to remove from his current abode on December 28, 2020 through that ‘Jankara’ order but the move failed due to the intervention of Save Lagos Group (SLG) who raised an alarm late last year.

The group stated that a similar case occurred where another lawyer, Ifeji Okechukwu Charles (+2348056260750 & +2347038508681) of Chancery Law Firm located at 71, Rasaki Balogun Street, Surulere, Lagos obtained a fake order from the Magistrate Court of Lagos State in the Apapa Magisterial District, Holden at Court 2, Apapa, Lagos presided over Mrs. O. M Ajayi on 23^rd of May, 2018.

“In this case also, a tenant Mr. Etop James Abel (+2348062476686 & +2348179884880) who was residing on Plot 4, Site H, FHA (DTN), Satellite Town was illegally ejected from his abode by Ifeji who was acting on the instruction of his client, who is a landlord to the victim, Mr. Patrick C. Obiekie (+2348037195560) who had obtained the fake order in connivance with the court.”

He stated that the intervention of the Save Lagos Group, the late Abubakar Tsav led Human Rights Defenders and Advocacy Centre in conjunction with Barrister Chioma Ufondu prompted men of the State CID, Panti of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to launch a detailed investigation into the case.

“We are very happy that the state commissioner of police, Mr. Hakeem Odumosu has instructed that the matter be thoroughly investigated by the men of the state’s CID in Panti, Yaba. The case is being handled by an Investigating Police Officer, named Rotimi (+2348037806460) who hasn’t lived up to our expectations.” He said.

The third case is that of Miss Labake Oyelami (+2348023862294 or +2347041838078) who is currently living at House 30, S Close, 23 Road, Festac Town Lagos who has been subjected to undue harassment by her landlord who doubles as lawyer, Mr. Okwudili Alagbu (+2347061144999 and +2348023234432) on her despite the fact that her rent and quit notice dated 31^st of October, 2020 is expected to lapse on April 30^th , 2021.

“From all the information available to us, Alagbu who had been parading him as the landlord alongside his wife and children had initially made attempts to eject her in December but were later arrested by officers of the Festac Police Station, where Oyelami had gone to report them when the harassment became very unbearable.

“We are happy that men of the Festac Police Station have stepped into the matter through the Investigating Police Officer, Inspector Caroline (+2348030441834), yet they (the Alagbus) have never relented in their persistent threat to her life. We are also using this platform to state that no harm must befall her or else, the Alagbu family would he held liable.” The group wrote.

The group has now resolved to call on relevant organizations in the judiciary such as the Body of Benchers, Legal Practitioners Privilege Committee, Council of Legal Education, Legal Practitioners’ Regulatory Committee, Legal Practitioners’ Practicing Council to activate disciplinary measures to checkmate sharp practices of lawyers in the state using the instrumentality of the Legal Practitioners’ Act.

The group also called on the National Judicial Council as well as the Economic, Financial and other Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Police Special Fraud Unit (SFU)and the Directorate of State Security Services (DSS) to beam their searchlights on the Lagos State Judiciary to save hapless residents of the state from needless embarrassment from their landlords.

Signed:

Comrade Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman,
(Revolutionary Alfa),
Convener, Save Lagos Group (SLG)
+2348038591504/+2348022697573.

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